Redbrick. Est 1936
Print. Digital. Mobile.
31st May - 14th June 2013 Vol. 77. Issue 1432. www.redbrick.me Proposals for the new Main Library
Campus Redevelopment
• Redevelopment of University buildings costing £157 million • This will be the fi rst redevelopment for most buildings since the 1970s • All redevelopment to be concluded by 2016
Page 4-5
A 250 seat lecture theatre planned for the Aston Webb building
An interview with Tim Stillwell
Your Revision Song Contest
The Lion 8 page sports pull-out including:
• Overview of the BUCS nationals 2013
TV / Page 24
Music / Page 16
Woolwich: A Wake up Call?
Birmingham Footnotes Learn Their ABCs
Comment / Page 7
Arts / Page 12
• Interview with cycling sports scholar Ciara Horne
2 | 31st May - 14th June 2013 Weather by
Compiled by
Hannah Findley
Beth Clarke
@RedbrickNews
@HannahDFindley
@beth__clarke BIRMINGHAM
INTERNATIONAL
Eleven day old baby dies in car crash
UK to return 90 Afghan detainees
A newborn baby has died in a car crash on the M6 near Cannock on Sunday. His mother, 18month old brother and 4year old sister were also critically hurt in the crash. A man from the Solihull area has been let out on bail pending an investigation into the accident.
NATIONAL
Max Cliff ord pleads not guilty to indecent assault BIRMINGHAM
INTERNATIONAL
Privatization of Library of Birmingham postponed
Russia criticises EU for arms embargo expiration 12 noon Saturday
Birmingham City Council have scrapped plans to allow a firm to run the new £187m Library of Birmingham. Instead, the city council's own library service will run it although a spokeswoman has said that ‘the council has only suspended this proposed privatization.'
STORY OF THE WEEK
More arrested over Woolwich attack A tenth person has been arrested in connection with the Woolwich attack that resulted in the murder of soldier Lee Rigby. It was revealed MI5 had previously contacted Mr Adebolajo asking him to work for the agency.
WEATHER
RELIGION
Sunny weekend to be followed by rain
First Muslim civil ceremony takes place in the UK
Saturday will see bright, sunny weather, with highs of 16°c. On Sunday, the sunshine will be more patchy, but temperatures will remain warm, with highs of 15°c. Next week will start off warm, but become more unsettled, with wet, windy weather on the way.
Two Birmingham women have made legal history by becoming the first Muslim lesbian couple to get married in a civil ceremony in the UK. The couple applied for political asylum claiming their lives would be in danger in Pakistan having received death threats.
Redbrick Editorial Editor Josh Holder Deputy Editors Lexie Wilson Owen Earwicker Charley Ross James Kinsey Digital Editors Chris Hutchinson Ashley Kirk
News Editors Patrick McGhee Ashley Kirk Zahra Damji Beth Clarke Izi Hicks
Music Editors Lily Blacksell Sam Dix Susie Dickey
Travel Editors Tamara Silver Elizabeth Waind Will Spence
music@redbrick.me
travel@redbrick.me
news@redbrick.me
Television Editors Daisy Follett Jo Kendall Abigail Salter Hannah Mason
Food Editors Izzy Gibbin Jemima Lovatt Gemma Bridge Lynette Dakin
tv@redbrick.me
food@redbrick.me
Film Editors Natasha Lavender Aisha Bushby Josh Taylor
Science & Technology Editors Sam Atkins Andrew Spencer Claire Harris Soumya Perinparajah Tom Rich
Comment Editors Daniel Baird Sophie Tollet James Phillips
Editorial Assistants George Bearman Hannah Coates Alicea Francis Ellie Jarvis Ravina Khela Hannah Mason Ella Parsons Francesca Seabourne Ellie Smallwood Charley Ross
NATIONAL
Payday loan industry deemed ‘out of control’
Redbrick Guild of Students Edgbaston Park Road Birmingham B15 2TT 0121 251 2462 editor@redbrick.me Redbrick is printed through www.mortonsprint.com 01507 523 456 Advertising Contact Linda Langley in Guild Marketing on 0121 251 2524
comment@redbrick.me
Photography Editors Anna Kirk Charlotte Wilson photography @redbrick.me
Arts Editors James Kinsey Rebekah McDermott Jenna Clake
film@redbrick.me
arts@redbrick.me
Multimedia Editors Molly Garfoot Matthew Hewson Max Powley
Sport Editors Tim Pearson Felix Keith Matt Clark
Life&Style Editors Marianne Lampon Vicki Haworth Alexandra Landes
multimedia@redbrick.me
sports@redbrick.me
lifestyle@redbrick.me
Designed and typeset by Redbrick Copyright (C) Redbrick 2013
technology@redbrick.me
Senior Editorial Assistant Isabel Mason
Old News Raphael Sheridan
The views expressed in Redbrick do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Guild or the publishers. If you find an error of fact in our pages, please write to the Editor. Our policy is to correct mistakes promptly in print and to apologise where appropriate. We reserve the right to edit any article, letter or email submitted for publication.
www.redbrick.me/news | 3
News Editor Izi Hicks speaks with Chris Bates, the coowner of Selly Oak's brand new fancy dress shop.
Selly Oak's Selly Joke. Izi Hicks
What inspired you to set up Selly Joke? ‘My business partner Matt came to me late last year and asked me if I wanted to come in on it. Really what the dream was about was to help students and to achieve something that nobody’s done before. We’re right next door to the Drinks To Go man, everybody loves him, what he does and provides the students and we aim to provide the same style of service but with fancy dress.’
News Editor
@izihicks
How is the shop funded? ‘The shop is funded through a variety of sources, obviously a little bit of money came in from me and Matt ourselves. The vast majority of the money came from the start up loan scheme, which was launched when the coalition government came in, which was £112 million pot of loan money that is given to companies to distribute to young people. We went through a company called Rockstar Youth, who have also helped a number of other projects in the area such as Tim the Burrito Man and former Sabbatical Officer Matt Lamb and his new business. They give you the money as a loan and it is unsecure personal, it’s not against the business and it’s all wonderful.’
'It's no joke' What does Selly Joke stock? ‘What we’re stocking is all based about value, obviously students don’t have £30 or £40 to spend on a fancy dress costume and they want to spend £10, £15, £20 if that. We’ve got some costumes that are priced at £15 or £20, a lot of accessories like wigs and hats and badges and sets around £3, £4, £5. We also do loads of party supplies like shot glasses, pint glasses, beer pong, party poppers and playing cards, which are by far our best sellers so far. Everybody seems to want a pack of playing cards.’
Any other comments? ‘This has all been possible because of a scheme at the university called Be Seen which works with a number of Birmingham universities to allow people to realise their dreams in business. It’s worked for us, it’s worked for a number of other local companies like My Onesie, Purple Frog, Glide as all of them came through the scheme.’ Photography: Charlotte Wilson
Campus.
University lecturer jailed Aoife O'Connor Reporter
@aoife2705
A previous University of Birmingham lecturer, Ian Woolley, from Stirchley has been sentenced to a 16 year imprisonment for sexual assault. Woolley taught in the Drama department . A trial at Birmingham Crown Court found Ian guilty of 10 counts of sexual assault on a girl under the age of 13, and two counts of inciting a girl of under 13 to engage in sexual activity. Ian also admitted to two counts of making indecent photographs of children, and three counts of voyeurism.
@wilsonscribbles
He was arrested after a young victim came forward to the police and a further investigation led to an uncovering of thousands of indecent images and videos on his computer. On April 30th, Woolley was sentenced to 16 years jail time following these accusations. Detective Constable Dominic Burke, from the Birmingham Public Protection Unit, commented on the matter: ‘The seriousness of these crimes has been reflected in the lengthy prison sentence that has been handed to Woolley. ‘I hope that this long sentence will encourage and give confidence to other victims to come forward.’
Save the Burrito Van Petition Zahra Damji News Editor
Beth Clarke
@beth__clarke
@zahra_damji
A petition has been launched by University of Birmingham students that aims to ‘Save the Burrito Van’, which is to eclose at the end of the Semester, after a University decision that the contract will not be renewed. The Burrito Van was originally set up by Birmingham graduate Tim Stillwell in order to test out the market before launching in central Birmingham. The concept revolved around healthy, fast food, focusing on original Mexican recipes and ‘never frozen’ meat. A statement coupled the petition, which at the time of printing has reached 871 signatures, reads ‘Students love the Burrito Van and it is one of many options for food
on campus. It is doing well and its owner Tim Stillwell shows students what they can achieve after leaving Birmingham. We want the Burrito Van to not only stay on campus but to become permanent.’ A facebook page of the same name promoting the petition has received a number of comments from students, including one which read ‘I just don't get y is the uni so opposed to such a fine eating establishment???’ Another commentator referenced The Burrito Van’s founder, Tim Stilwell’s experience on the BBC show, The Apprentice, saying ‘Save our "Mexican Food Entrepreneur! Stillwell spoke to Redbrick about the petition, saying ‘We are so happy and flattered about the petition. It really goes to show that students want us to stay and there is no real
reason for our contract not being extended.’ He also spoke of his plans to launch The Burrito Van in Westfield Shopping Centre. A spokesperson for the University commented that ‘The Burrito Van on the University of Birmingham campus is operated by a former student who set up the enterprise, with support from the University, whilst an undergraduate at the University’s Business School. The University has already extended the lease twice but would now like to use the location on campus to provide a similar opportunity to other enterprising students. ‘We're glad to have provided a stepping stone for Tim Stillwell and wish him every success in taking the Burrito Van concept forward to shopping centre locations across the West Midlands.’
4 | 31st May - 14th June 2013
Multistorey Car Park A new multistorey car park behind Gisbert Kapp is planned to replace the South car park near the Gun Barrels, the site on which the new Sports Centre will be built at a cost of £5.5m. A new replacement running track will built where the Munrow centre currently stands.
The Main Library One of the key features of the future University of Birmingham campus will be the remodelled and completely brand new Main Library, which will be situated atop the current running track beside the old library. Architecture plans for new library show that it is set to be a modern design, made up of glass, aluminum and brick. It will provide students with 16,000 square meters of floor space. Addressing concerns from the student body about having a period of time without a library while construction is carried out, Chris Twine, Director of Student Services assured Redbrick that this would not be the case: ‘there is no question of closing down the main library for a period of time waiting for the new library’. ‘That’s one of the good things about having the new library on a separate site: that we can build that completely independently and still have the main library open as usual’ Twine added. Once the new library is completed, the old library will be knocked down to make way for a landscaped green space at the heart of campus. Because the new library will take the place of the running track, the University will, for a period of time, be without one before the new one can be built where the Munrow Sports Centre currently stands.
£57 million
The cost of building the new library. Whereas to refurbish the current site would cost £30m.
£12.5 million
The cost for the new Student Hub in Aston Webb Block C.
www.redbrick.me/news | 5
The future face of campus
The New Sports Centre The University of Birmingham’s new Sports Centre is set to stand on the spot currently occupied by the Gun Barrels, which was acquired by the University several years ago. The pub itself closed down earlier this week to make room for the new Sports Centre. The new centre will include a 50-metre pool, a 15-court sports hall and a climbing wall, updating the current facilities. Turner noted that the Sports Centre, like the main library, has never had such a comprehensive refurbishment. The current Munrow Sports Centre will be demolished and will then be home to the new running track in the near future.
Aston Webb Block C, The Student Hub The Aston Webb Block C, coined the ‘Student Hub’, is another area of campus set to undergo redevelopment. The idea of creating a Hub at the University dates back to 2005 and has, according to Chris Twine, involved a great deal of student consultation in bringing together the proposals. He explained that ‘The Aston Webb building isn’t really used a great deal by students at the moment despite being at the centre of campus.’ ‘It is an iconic building and we want to make sure our iconic buildings are accessed and used as much as possible by students.’ To achieve this, there is set to be significant remodelling to the interior of the Aston Webb Building to create a hub for students to access important services offered by the university. ‘We avoid calling it a ‘one-stop shop’ but it is bringing together services that work closely together and have a similar look, feel and interaction.’ The services being brought into this Student Hub include Student Funding, the International Student Advisory Service (ISAS) and a main enquiry service. Additionally the redesigned block will also provide another 250seat lecture theatre to bring students into the main building at the heart of campus.
Last week Redbrick sat down with Ian Barker, Director of Estates, and Chris Twine, Director of Student Services, two of the management figures leading the University’s campus redevelopment plans. About 1/2 of the UniJordan Venton-Rublee Reporter
@little_blond
Aoife O'Connor Reporter
@Aoife2705
Izi Hicks News Editor
@izihicks
The main proposals will see a brand new library, Sports Centre and an interior redevelopment of Block C of the Aston Webb Building completed by 2016. Barker explained that the redevelopments are designed to assist the strategic framework the University has in place, part of which involves attracting the highest quality students to the campus. Additionally ‘a really significant part of the University buildings were built in the 60’s and 70’s that wasn’t the construction industries finest hour and it was also a very long time ago.’ He further added that plans for redeveloping parts of campus have been in the works for over six years. The task groups for the redevelopment did include consulting a student representative from the Guild in addition to members of the administration at Birmingham as well as the community and the city council.
Gunnies closes down to make way for new Sports Centre Charley Ross Deputy Editor @CharleyRoss92
versity Campus buildings were built in the 1960s or 70s.
Redevelopment plans have been underway for 6yrs. The overall redevelopment is set to be completed by 2016. The redevelopment is planned to total £175m. On Tuesday 20th May, nostalgic locals and students corrupted by postexam euphoria, gathered for the final night of drinks at Gunnies before it is knocked down and replaced by new sports facilities. There wasn’t a spare seat in the house as crowds of recently liberated UOB students drained the bar one last time, with music blaring and the supply of popular drinks dwindling. As the night ended, prices fell and emotions rose and a huge crowd paid tribute to the pub that has been serving students and residents since the 70s.
£55 million
The cost for the new Sports Centre replacing Gun Barrels
#GoodbyeGunnies
6 | 31st May - 14th June 2013 @RedbrickComment
Clash of Civilisations By Aqib Khan
From my perspective, there have been three different responses from the Muslim community to the murder in Woolwich. The minority one is megaphoned by Anjem Choudary, who refuses to condemn the attack, using the killing of innocents in Muslim countries by Western governments as a way to sidestep condemning the killing of an innocent human being; an act which the Quran could not be clearer on: ‘if anyone killed a person it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.’ The remaining two positions which the majority of Muslims (as far as I can tell) hold to, fundamentally agree on outright condemning the killing, but differ in cosmetics. In one view are Uncle Tom Muslims who, unwilling to puncture an orgy of self-righteous, hardnosed, self-assurance act as lapdogs for the British establishment and argue this attack had absolutely nothing to do with British foreign policy. In his own words, Michael Adebolajo stated after the attack ‘the only reason we have killed this man today is because Muslims are dying daily we will never stop fighting you until you leave us alone, you are the ones that when you drop a bomb you think it hits one person? Or rather your bomb wipes out a whole family?’ Opposed to this view are Muslims who feel the entire Islamic community should not have to come out to collectively apologize whenever individuals commit heinous acts. Which on the surface, seems reasonable, given there are never calls for the ‘white community’ to come out and condemn a Raoul Moat or Derrick Bird or Adam Lanza; for ‘community leaders’ to ‘do more’; nor are ‘experts’
@AqibKhan_
deployed onto national news, to find out what is fundamentally ‘wrong’ in the white community and if MI5/FBI are doing enough. The Southern Poverty Law Centre has a database of every attempted act of far right terror going back to 1995. In 1997, the KKK almost succeeded in killing an estimated 30,000 people, bombing a national gas refinery. As the SPLC is careful to point out, that is ‘10 times the number murdered on Sept. 11, 2001.’Ask yourself, if the entire white or Christian community needs to have come out and condemned the attack, as though to reassure society whose side it’s on. Now if radicalized Muslims had attempted it, ask yourselves the same question. If you came to separate answers, then the seedling of stereotyping has been firmly rooted into your subconscious. A survey of 50,000 Muslims in 2008 came to interesting conclusions: ‘About 93 percent of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims are moderates, and only seven percent are politically radical Meanwhile, radical Muslims gave political, not religious, reasons for condoning the (9/11) attacks, the poll showed. . .But the poll, which gives ordinary Muslims a voice in the global debate that they have been drawn into by 9/11, showed that most Muslims -- including radicals -- admire the West for its democracy, freedoms and technological prowess.’ John Esposito, a scholar of Islamic Christian relations stated ‘Muslims want self-determination, but not an American-imposed and defined democracy. They don't want secularism or theocracy. What the majority wants is democracy with religious values’. I do not speak for anyone but myself and this is where I stand:
First and foremost, I reject the notion of ‘moderate Muslims’, since it pre-disposes Muslims are extremists until proven ‘moderate’. Pick any other stereotype and see if you find it acceptable. Moderate blacks and criminal blacks; moderate Jews and scheming Jews; moderate whites and racist whites. But to the point, of the 7% estimate of Muslims around the world who are ‘potentially radical’, they gave ‘political, not religious, reasons’ for their opinions. Unless the fundamental causes which breed motivations to commit actions the likes of which we saw in Woolwich are not honestly debated, then the failed post-9/11 path will only repeat itself; be it on buses in London, or a marathon in Boston, or an off duty soldier in Woolwich. Western aggression abroad is directly responsible for radicalizing ordinary Muslims. This is the unanimous opinion of the Joint Intelligence Committee, the Ministry of Defence, the CIA, the National Intelligence Council, the former chief of the CIA's Bin Laden tracking unit, the Brookings Institution, Australia's Office of National Assessments, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), London foreign-affairs think tank Chatham House, al-Qaeda experts Rohan Gunaratna & Peter Bergen and Professor Robert Pape, the Chicago University political scientist who has studied every known case of suicide terrorism since 1980. The disrupted Times Square bomber, NY Subway bomber, Underwear bomber, Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hassan all directly cited Western aggression in Muslim countries as the reason behind their acts, as did Michael Adebolajo The murder of the off duty soldier in London
was, to paraphrase Malcolm X, Britain’s chickens coming home to roost. For the BBC and mainstream media to lay broad hints this is a product of Anjem Choudary is dangerous and dishonest. For Uncle Tom Muslims to rally to their cause is shameful. For experts listed above to not speak out at the media circus is disgraceful (note, some experts did speak out against the orthodox view of the press, only these views were sidelined). The most important event in recent days has not been the murder in Woolwich. It was the statement by Michael Sheehan, the assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations in the Obama administration, who revealed the War on Terror will last 'at least 10 to 20 (more) years.' A war against a tactic, which has no possible end, since its ongoing occurrence ferments the tactic it intends to disrupt; a perpetual cycle of death and destruction, which continues and will continue to bleed out across the Western world, and destroy the Islamic one. Until the swamp is even acknowledged, let alone drained, the flies will continue to persist. And innocent human beings will continue to be attacked and groups of people will be stereotyped in ways unacceptable in any other instance of people. Western foreign policy is the direct cause of politically motivated acts the likes of which we saw in Woolwich. Unless we collectively reject the narrative of the press, stereotyping and acknowledge the elephant in the room, then we leave no choice but to convince ourselves we are inevitably hurtling towards a clash of civilizations as the cycle of perpetual death continues when neither side is going anywhere.
www.redbrick.me/comment | 7
Woolwich: A Wake up Call?
Redbrick Commentator Charles Moloney looks at the aftermath of tragedy in Woolwich and the consequences that could flow from it. The murder of British soldier Drummer Lee Rigby, 25, has been condemned as a barbaric display of Islamic terrorism. Muslim spokesmen have denounced the killing as abhorrent, and not supported in Islam. There are exceptions, like the insidious Anjem Choudary, who attended an extremist rally alongside Michael Adebolajo. But they are in the minority, and the larger parts of the Muslim community have offered condolences to Rigby’s family and condemned the murderers. However, the point has also been made that terrorist action and Western intervention in the Muslim world have a causal relationship. Asghar Bukhari, spokesman for the Muslim public affairs committee, told the BBC that 'the people in Afghanistan don’t want the British troops there - their lives have been ruined'. This kind of comment is not received well by the media. The Stop the War Coalition’s (StWC) response to the events in Woolwich was that 'there were no such cases in Britain before the start of the ‘war on terror’ in 2001'. In response the Daily Express released an article entitled: 'Fury as anti-war campaigners blame action in ISRAEL for Woolwich terror attack'. Boris Johnson has dismissed their argument entirely, claiming that it is 'wrong to draw any link between this murder and British foreign policy'. Anybody who takes a view which is contrary to this can expect to be denounced as an apologist for Jihadism. But in reality we have to address issues in our foreign policy. We cannot deny that the civilian population have legitimate grievances that have risen as a result of our operation in the Middle East. The recent story of Khaled alHamad, leader of a rebel faction in Syria, filmed eating a piece of lung from a recently murdered soldier is made all the more horrifying if we consider that our government is funding him. William Hague announced in 2012 that the UK will be giving an extra £5 million, on top
By Dan Baird The work of charity Help for Heroes has been thrust into the spotlight in the aftermath of the tragedy in Woolwich.Due to overwhelming public support their website was crashed earlier this week. It is now fully operational again and the public support has continued to grow. Even if you are not a supporter of Britain's military adventures it shouldn't be beyond our decency as people to support the men and women who have been injured during the course of their duty. Help for Heroes does great work with these soldiers everything from rehab, home support and global challenges. If you want to make a donation you can do it via their website at:
www. helpforheroes. org.uk
of the previous figure of £27.5 million, worth of non-lethal weaponry to the Syrian rebels. The fact that the weapons are ‘non-lethal’ simply means that the rebel forces will now spend a lot more of their own money on ‘lethal’ weaponry. There is also the consistent use of targeted killing practises, or ‘drone strikes’, on civilian areas. A study by researchers at Stanford and New York University law school has shown that the US kills 49 civilians for every 1 terrorist with these attacks. With such heavy civilian casualties it is not surprising that some of those affected sympathise with the Taliban and al Qaeda. It is strange that the Woolwich ‘beheading’ has not opened up the floor to debate regarding the future of Britain’s foreign policy. Attempts to initiate discourse by Muslims, the political pariah George Galloway, and the StWC, all received a very negative press. This is particularly strange when we consider that the StWC usually enjoy overwhelming public support. They orchestrated the 2001 anti-war rally in London, which police described as the biggest demonstration the UK had ever seen, boasting over 750,000 people. Where are all their supporters now? It seems as though the StWC are currently seen as traitors for suggesting that our foreign intervention has not been completely successful. In fact anyone who makes this assertion is seen as a traitor, and for this reason few people are willing to take a stand. At the foreign secretary’s speech at the 2012 Conservative party conference, the hall was half empty, and an article for the economist claims 'in 2013, the foreign office is discussed roughly half as frequently as it was in 2007'. Silence will never lead to a peaceful resolution, and does anyone really think that our foreign policy is less important than gay marriage, Scottish independence and daylight saving?
8 | 31st May - 14th June 2013
The Rise of the ConservativeAlternative
The rise of Nigel Farage and his band of geriatric merry-men is not the beginning of a 1950s revolution of the British political system.
Sam Brown Commentator
It is Saturday 4th May and Nigel Farage, the outspoken and flamboyant leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), is holding a pint in the Marquis of Granby pub in Westminster. Overnight, he has seen his party win 147 seats in the English Council elections and receive a projected share of the national vote of 23%. This rise has been rapid in relative terms, but should it have been as unexpected? The protest, anti-establishment opinion has always been a popular option for the disenchanted voter. You only need to watch an episode of Question Time to see that the loudest cheer and clap is reserved for the member on the panel who patently isn’t a career politician and who doesn’t blurt out the whipped party line to every question. By nature of them not being in power and without an office to lose, they are free to make increasingly attention grabbing headlines. Extrapolated from this example, UKIP has become the party that are proverbially hammering the door of Westminster. The Liberal Democrats, in recent years the party of the students and those who were voting for a non-Conservative option with a chance of winning their constituency, clearly have lost this mantle. Whilst Nick Clegg has said that this
loss of protest status is on the progression to a party of government, the prostitution of the Liberal Democrats to alignment with Conservative policies and values may well have stripped the Liberal Democrats of the status of a party of power as well as protest. Clearly, the rise of UKIP is filling a niche in the political environment. Yet they are not necessarily attracting those same voters. Most left-leaning Liberal Democrat voters would only consider Labour as an alternative and whilst the composition of policy matters less to the protest voter, a distinct right-wing message emerges from even a brief glance at
Reading the UKIP manifesto is akin to asking your grandparents to expand on the ‘good ol’ days’
UKIP policy. This is why the political rise of UKIP will be rendered unsustainable. As the national political arena has undergone a process of professionalization at the same time media interest in the political world has increased, a rise in scrutiny that parties undergo now will prove to be UKIP’s undoing. Reading the UKIP manifesto is akin to asking your grandparents to expand on the ‘good ol’ days’. As they put on their rose-tinted nostalgic glasses and explain the features of what made Britain great, you begin to feel that they, along with the rest of the true UKIP support, have forgotten the devastating social scars of the this apparently ‘glorious’ past. Fewer jobs because of the restricted continental trade, millions left short-changed in their education as grammar schools stole the best resources and a lifestyle of alcohol and tobacco which has left this country with a systematically unhealthy culture all hallmarks of mid-20th century Britain. The rise of Nigel Farage and his band of geriatric merry-men is not the beginning of a 1950’s revolution of the British political system. It is, in part, caused more by the change in the status of the Liberal Democrats than it is by UKIP policy. Unfeasible and illogical policies, born out of a desire for the Empire to return, will ultimately leave Farage in the pub rather than at the dispatch box.
www.redbrick.me/comment | 9
Daniel Baird. Out of the horror of the tragedy in Woolwich it’s kind of nice to see one story among the myriad of tales of random attacks and vandalism that can actually make you smile. The story of the Yorkshire mosque that defused the EDL protest that had gathered outside in the wake of Lee Rigby’s death to make a stand against Islamic extremism. Greeting the posse with tea, biscuits and football was a typically British response to any sort of trouble and one that the EDL members clearly didn’t expect. It’s fairly good to see an EDL protest that doesn’t end in someone getting attacked or arrested. Hopefully it can continue.
RELIGION
Bill Pertwee. Is the EU right not to renew the arms embargo on Syria? Russia certainly doesn’t believe so and they responded to the declaration that each Member State could decide their own policy when it came to sending arms to the Syrian rebels by promising the delivery of S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to deter foreign intervention in the area and stabilise the area. This has had the effect so far of stirring Israel into releasing a statement that if this was to happen they would ‘know what to do’. The EU’s decision will undoubtedly raise the stakes in the region and bring the escalation of the conflict a couple of steps closer.
SYRIA
News News Views LEGISLATION Robert Catesby. New government legislation dubbed 'the snooper's charter' has hit a brick wall this week. With criticism from civil rights organisations the bill allows unprecedented access to the public's internet communications in order to (as Theresa May puts it) to combat the threat of terrorism. The Liberal Democrats have already declared this bill a non-starter and now MI5 have declared that the legislation would not have helped to stop the murder of Lee Rigby. The Home Secretary believes in the necessity of these new powers that would be gifted to intelligence services. However, with their coalition partners and the intelligence services themselves questioning the need for this bill it is doubtful it will pass.
Death by Library Amy Ringrose counts down her top ten moments you realise that its really time to go home As the light at the end of the mind-numbingly dull tunnel that is the revision period draws ever nearer, we look back over some of the tell-tale signs that suggest it’s time to hang up the revision cards and head home. 1) When you can, without pausing for breath, describe each and every one of Kim Kardashian’s maternity clothes from the past three weeks. Yes even if that poncho-come-jumpsuit was a particularly hideous shade of magenta, candidates are unlikely to be credited for such pearls of wisdom. 2) When the Library cafe baristas start making your order on approach. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been there, when anyone manages to memorize your skinny-soya-frappa-cappuccino it’s probably time to go home. 3) When the best thing that has happened to you since April was getting the last plug in 3C. It’s these simple moments that should remind the revision crazed-student that you used to actually have a life. 4) When you start making ‘library friends’. Or, more accurately, ‘imaginary friends’. Unfortunately just because you share the same taste in quiet zones, the chances are that you are not soul mates; a shared passion for zone 2B rarely equates to long-term friendship. 5) When you’ve been indoors for so long that direct sunlight hurts your eyes. 6) When you are genuinely distraught that some other, probably less deserving, library-goer has pipped you to ‘your spot’. You shouldn’t have a spot. It’s a library. Come come now, go home. 7) When you start instagramming absolutely anything and everything in sight. #Tupperware is not ok. 8) The closest thing you’ve done to revision all day is a quick skim read of ‘Brideshead Regurgitated’, bedtime methinks. 9) Breakfast, lunch, dinner and midnight snacks all come from the same vending machine. 10) You begin rotating highlighters ‘just to spice things up’. Insanity is closing in. Go home. Have a snooze, things will seem less catatonically depressing in the morning.
Josh Holder. There’s been much talk in the news about the supposed ‘immorality’ of the big 4 accounting firms and their clients. The concept of minimising the tax payments of big corporations in the midst of government cuts is obviously a hot topic, but the blame for these tax avoidance schemes must surely be placed on the imprecise global tax laws, rather than the firms hired to take advantage of them. After all, an accountant’s job is to help their clients be compliant with tax and accounting legislation. It’s obvious that the global tax laws are in drastic need of reform, but as long as an accountant’s work is legal, their moral compass shouldn’t even be a consideration.
FINANCE
Lexie Wilson. I'm seriously starting to think that social media is the medium of the devil. Not only is it fast becoming the go-to place for ill-informed morons to espouse their poisonous views about society at large, but recently Laura Bates, the powerhouse behind the Everyday Sexism project, is drawing attention to Facebook's irresponsible and inconsistent policy about vetting images. Images relating to cosmetic surgery and breastfeeding were removed, being considered 'offensive' or 'inappropriate' and yet it refuses to take down posts with content relating to rape or domestic violence (such as, 'nosebleeds: a sign of an incorrectly prepared sandwich') or graphic and distressing images. Maybe it's time for a rethink on the social media revolution.
SOCIAL MEDIA
www.redbrick.me/comment
10 | 31st May - 14th June 2013
France introduces plans for an ‘iTax’ Chris Toyn argues that taxing the importation of consumer electronics in the name of cultural preservation is a ludicrous idea. The safeguarding of French culture seems to be of greater priority than ever before. This is according to a report commissioned by Francois Hollande’s government that brings its protectionist measures into the digital age. The ‘iTax’ as it has been coined, will see a levy imposed on electrical goods that have access to ‘cultural content’ via the Internet. This category of products is enormous, including phones, tablets and computers, and will be inevitably heavily contested. Is this really the time for the government’s focus to be weighted towards hindering the importation of consumer electronics in the name of cultural preservation? Hollande is in the milieu of a losing battle to regain political support. His tax and pensions minister was ousted due to his once-denied Swiss bank account being revealed, anti gay-marriage demonstrations in Paris have been frequently crippling the centre of the capital, and the common view of the president is one of wet apathy as France enters a triple-dip recession. By imposing a tax on these Internet capable products (the proceeds of which will go towards cultural promotion rather than something like sovereign debt reduction) France is not only implementing a useless policy in terms of achieving its intended purpose, but it is also isolating itself from the cultural ties which mean so much for international trade, FDI and economic growth. Hollande needs to be careful. The country has a long and deliberate passive-aggressive relationship with foreign culture (most notably the Americans), yet as amusing as this is, it may have a serious impact on economic recovery, even if the policy is inefficient concerning its raison d’être. Although evidently not its intention, the idea that promoting French culture through an ‘iTax’ will do anything for the country’s triple-dip recession is ludicrous. However there are two things that could increase government revenue and help the economy: increasing the working week from 35 hours, and increasing the retirement age. It may be a bitter pill, and one the French will refuse to swallow, but the economy needs the medicine.
The Hollywood Hills Burglaries With celebrity culture now engrained into our modern lifestyles, is it time to break the circle of this self-destructive fascination?
Olivia Beesley Commentator
‘Celebrity’ is a culture that seems to consume our society today. Typically, this culture has a minor affect on the everyday lives of the public, however, in 2009, seven teenagers were motivated to execute the infamous Hollywood Hills burglaries. The ‘Bling Ring’, as they came to be known, carried out a theft of over $3 million from the houses of celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Orlando Bloom and Megan Fox. While many aspects of this heist were surprising, such as the notoriety of the victims, something set this crime apart from the further 9,063,172 property crimes that occur annually in America– the criminals were not only attacking the very same culture that they were aspiring to be part of, but it was this same aspiration that fueled the crimes. This made me consider the self-destructive quality of the culture that we are voluntarily or involuntarily emerged in. Four years on from the burglaries, Academy Award winning director, Sofia Coppola, has created resurgence in interest surrounding the teenagers due to her film ‘The Bling Ring’ premiering this June. The film, based on the true events of the burglaries, stars Emma
Watson as ‘Nicki’, whose character is based on the most prominent figure of the group. While Coppola commented that she ‘didn't want to make those kids more famous than they already were’, it seems that their fame was inevitable. However, this inevitability is not due to the increasing publicity of the film, the fact it is based on true events or the ‘A-list’ cast - it is due to the culture that has infiltrated our society, one that covets and aspires to be coveted.
'This endless circle of a coveting ‘celebrity’ culture seems doomed to be selfpropagating.' While this constant fueling of ‘celebrity’ is ironic enough, it seems that the irony continues to increase. In the recent Cannes Film Festival, more than $1 million worth of jewels were stolen from an exclusive Swiss jewelers’ hotel room. Moreover, the jewels stolen from the French Riviera Novotel were intended to be worn by celebrities such as Lana Del Rey on the red carpet of Cannes, the debuting event of ‘The Bling Ring’. This endless circle
of a coveting ‘celebrity’ culture seems doomed to be self-propagating. While I admit that it may be one of the more trivial problems of our world today, I believe that it is an important issue to highlight in our society. Why? Because the power to break the circle lies in the public’s hands, our hands. Celebrity is a culture built on consumerism, and therefore built on us. As said by American journalist Chuck Palahniuk, we are ‘byproducts of a lifestyle obsession’. As the source fueling this cult, only we hold the capability to break the circle. Perhaps this is easier said than done. While most of us find ‘trashy’ gossip magazines to be a guilty pleasure, it seems that breaking this circle will take a little more effort than refusing to buy this week’s ‘Hello’ or ‘OK!’ but why not start on a smaller, more personal scale? A change in perspective. Celebrity culture is built upon the unstable foundation of public fascination. While there is nothing wrong with crediting people for hard work, such as directing, filming or acting, the problem occurs when this credit is blown out of proportion. The elevation of celebrity is not only harmful to the individuals, but can do great injury to ourselves. So how can the circle be broken? We must choose to change our perspective.
12 | 31st May - 14th June 2013
@RedbrickArts @RedbrickArts
Reviews
The Birmingham Footnotes presents: The Birmingham Footnotes Learn Their ABCs Ben Norris As the endearingly ramshackle programme - fronted by a comically stretched cast photo and containing falsely-ascribed Neitzche quotes and posthumous dedications to living people suggested, 'The Birmingham Footnotes Learn Their ABCs' would be a sketch show filled with surreal ideas and left-field laughs. Birmingham Uni's stillyoung comedy society have forged their creative identity from an apparently barren wasteland of limited props, costumes, and money in general, so it says a lot for the talent and ingenuity of the cast, crew and writers that they produced such a quality show: this the fourth Footnotes Sketch Show I've seen, very much living up to the high standard of its precedents. Cracking the directorial whip were Donovan Mike and Jacob Lovick, whose production was constantly bizarre but - to their credit - almost constantly successful. Donovan and Jacob's contribution extended beyond their work behind the scenes, however, as they themselves appeared in a sketch (D) to cleverly satirise the roles of directors with a meta-artistic discourse about a ridiculous video playing on the projector.
Even if the sketch ended with a groan (probably deservedly, as its title, 'Directors' Cut', was taken literally and saw Donovan snip a receipt in half), it was a good model for the rest of the show: sharpness and stupidity in awkward, brilliant wedlock. On top form throughout was the versatile Lily Blacksell, whose turn in 'Good Guys'...was particularly enjoyable. Forcing out 26 sketches one for each letter of the alphabet - had clearly been a struggle, but rather than deny the tenuousness of some of the links, the show embraced them wonderfully. Growing tired by the time we arrived at 'Do "U" Want To Be A Millionaire?' (you can guess which letter that sketch represented), the format mostly held strong. Highlights for me were 'After the Subbuteo Game' (A) and 'Fathers' (F), both of which saw the consistently funny Jack Toop at his subversive best. Initially sceptical about the comic prowess of Cosmo Rana-Iozzi (a name as hard to spell as the man is to interpret) and Josh Taylor more because of their back-
ground roles in the first 3rd of the show than any slip ups they proved themselves to be captivatingly enigmatic and wonderfully dry respectively as the show progressed. Jonty Crowley provided the comic climax of the show in 'Your Local Neighbourhood SuperHeroes' (Y) when his character, Cutlery Boy, whose super-hero credentials were questioned by the rest of the group, leapt up in anger to prove himself to the doubters. Knives, forks and spoons (thankfully plastic) flew from his sleeves and pockets in what can only be described as prodigiously massive quantities, showering the audience. Long live Cutlery Boy. Managing the tech desk expertly were Ludo Cinelli and James Dolton. Noticing the lighting in a minimalist sketch show such as this is usually a bad sign, but Dolton's fades and blackouts were sensitive to the punch lines, and nicely orientated the audience to new moods and scenes as appropriate. On top form throughout was the versatile Lily Blacksell, whose turn in 'Good Guys' (where Slytherin's charity workers and environmentalists are overshadowed by the better publicised bad deeds of Malfoy,
Crab and Doyle) was particularly enjoyable. Phoebe Brown, co-producing the show with Maz Sanjoori as well as performing in it, was brilliant as a washed up daytime TV host trying her hand at serious political debate but haunted by memories of a game-show past in 'Televised Political Debate' (T). Quaffing the audience's laughter and applause with well-honed comic timing, even when briefly wrong footed over lines by the devilish Josh Taylor, was Matt Saull. Reliably funny, Saull's performance was a lesson in changing character.
Sketch shows like this benefit from having a range of acting personalities, and Jenny Davis's presence provided much needed grounding at times. Topical additions or improvisation can work wonders, and did with many of the cast, but Davis was dependably funny throughout. Unfortunately, for her, this manifested itself in her having
to get on all fours and be ridden like a horse (twice) in 'Romeo' (R), an utterly incoherent but inexplicably enjoyable romp through 3 minutes of zany Shakespeare quips. Very few Guild Productions achieve the same level of professionalism as Footnotes's shows do, and 'Footnotes Learn Their ABCs' was no exception. Where comedy can sometimes seem funny to only a select few, Mike and Lovick's production always erred on the accessible side of an in-joke. X-rated in places, and not always totally PC, lots of the writing was sufficiently selfaware that one was forever invited to dig deeper to find another level of meaning and parody in sketches that deserve attention and interrogation. You'd be missing something if any of this great comedy troupe's work seemed superficial or insensitive. Z was notably lacking a sketch (the performers and crew simply left the stage and informed us that it was over after 'Y'), which caused some controversy among audiences members, but, despite the slightly dissatisfying ending, 'Footnotes Learn Their ABCs' was a huge and hilarious success.
really add a great deal when we're supposed to be buying into these teachings continuously. And the preaching really is continuous. At the beginning, I had hoped that these quick-fire one-liner vague parables would be just some kind of dodgy preface, a failed attempt at creating a mood which would quickly be forgotten when the actual story started, but they just carried on! Precisely who Coelho thought would be satisfied by simply being told 'Only he who gives up is defeated. Everyone
else is victorious.' (just one example of the non-stop rubbish spouted from the opening) is a mystery. He really is a trail-blazer in this sense; rather than actually providing any kind of narrative or story, the author seems to have simply decided on some moral messages he would have liked to have included, written them into roughly 'inspirational Facebook quote from that friend you don't like' length and then arranged them at random on the page. Perhaps, however, Paul
Coelho is onto something. Clearly, this is a far more efficient method of writing (if the book took more than half an hour to put together, it would be a surprise), and the back cover makes claims of '145 million copies sold worldwide'. In that case, someone is clearly gullible enough to be fobbed off by this cheap pseudo-psychiatry to the extent that they will part with their hard-earned cash, and were I in Coelho's position, I'd be more than happy to take it from them.
Very few Guild Productions achieve the same level of professionalism as Footnotes's shows do
Book Review: Manuscript Found in Accra James Fagge Advertised as a novel, Paul Coelho's 'Manuscript Found in Accra' claims to be a story found in a manuscript (so far, so good...) in 1099, produced within a city awaiting invasion. One would expect, then, some complex tensions between characters and belief systems, and lots of morally cloudy actions from both sides. On a more base level, one might expect some dialogue, or some characters. Failing that, perhaps at least the reader might be appeased slightly by something actually happening over
the course of 200 pages. Nothing does. After a few pages, I came to the grim realisation that 'Manuscript Found in Accra' was in fact a thinly-veiled selfhelp-come-philosophy book, and not a very good one at that. Not a very good one at all, in fact. The majority of the book is a kind of back and forth between non-specific members of a non-specific crowd and some kind of non-specific religious figure. Very arty, I'm sure, but this technique of leaving people nameless doesn't
14| 31st May - 14th June 2013 @RedbrickFood
Free Lunch.
Birmingham's woods, parks and canals are prime areas for foraging. Food Editor Izzy Gibbin tells you how to find, pick and cook wild ingredients. you can then use the nettles as you would spinach. Make a nettle frittata, or a nettle soup with cream cheese and chives. You can also steep them in boiling water to make nettle tea, which is delicious served with a squeeze of lemon and some sugar.
Wild Garlic Wild garlic, with its long green leaves and small white flowers, is usually found growing in woodland areas or along river banks from late winter until May. It is especially likely to be found near or among bluebells, and its distinctive garlicky smell will make it very easy to identity. Both the leaves and flowers are edible, and can be used in a similar way to shop-bought garlic, though it has a slightly less pungent flavour which makes it suitable for eating raw: mix it into mashed potato, risotto or soup. You can also make an incredible wild garlic pesto by blending the leaves with some parsley, olive oil, parmesan, lemon juice and hazelenuts. Head to Birmingham's Shire country park to find it growing in abundance.
Bilberries Bilberries are similar in appearance and taste to blueberries, but easier to find growing in the wild. They tend to flourish from late July to September. Bilberry picking can be quite laborious work, as they tend to grow at the bottom of hedgerows, but your efforts will definitely be rewarded. Wait until they are fully ripe and blackish-blue. Bilberries can be quite tart when eaten raw, but if you simmer them in hot water with some caster sugar, they become sweet and juicy. If you're a fan of making jams or jelly, bilberries are perfect, but they taste their best baked into a pie or a cake and served with clotted cream. Bilberries are not that common in the UK, but we are lucky in Birmingham in that they grow profusely on the Lickey Hills, a few miles from the town centre. Head to Bilberry Hill in Worcestershire for the best crop.
Rosemary Rosemary is quite expensive in the supermarkets, so it's worth keeping an eye out for it when you can. We have several rosemary bushes on campus; the Nuffield, Pritchatts House and the Munrow all have rosemary growing outside. Simple cut off a sprig with a pair of scissors and pick off the needle-like leaves. These can be chopped and added to a wide variety of dishes like any other herb; potatoes or vegetables particularly benefit from a few rosemary sprigs and some olive oil before roasting. Add it to an oily bread dough with
some salt and feta to make an amazing focaccia bread. It also makes an excellent addition to stews and soups. Nettles Don't be put off by this plant's nasty reputation; nettles are delicious and higher in nutrition than broccoli and spinach. Nettles grow profusely, particularly in the spring and summer months, and are easily recognisable for their jagged-edged leaves. Find them growing on shady tracks and paths. Invest in a pair of sturdy gloves to protect your hands from the stings, and take care only to pick the top leaves of each plant, as the lower leaves can be harmful. You should also never eat nettles that have started to sprout flowers. Remove the sting from the leaves by blanching them in boiling water;
www.redbrick.me/food| 15
Nettle Gnocchi
With Wild Garlic Butter
Ingredients 600g potatoes, peeled and diced 150g nettles 2 egg yolks 120g plain flour 75g butter 2 cloves of garlic Handful of wild garlic or other herbs such as rosemary or parsley 50g parmesan cheese Handful of chopped nuts, such as cashews or pine nuts Salad, to serve Method Boil the potatoes in water until tender, then drain and mash them. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and add the nettle leaves. Boil for five minutes to remove the stings, then rinse under cold water. Squash all the water from the leaves and finely chop them. Add to the mashed potato. Season the potato mixture with some salt and pepper and add the two egg yolks. Bring another pan of water to the boil. Add most of the flour to the mixture, and if the dough doesn't feel too sticky, break off a piece and drop it in the boiling water. After a few minutes it should float to the top without losing its shape. If it doesn't, add some more flour to the mix and test another small piece. Once the right consistency is achieved, roll the rest of the dough into small dumplings. This recipe should make around 16. Cover them in flour and place on a plate. Drop half the gnocchi into a pan of boiling water, and cook until they have all floated to the surface. Once they do, cook for a further ten seconds then lift them out
with a slotted spoon. Repeat with the rest of the gnocchi. Whilst the gnocchi are cooking, make the sauce. Fry up the herbs and garlic in a pan with the butter for a few minutes. When all the gnocchi are done cooking, dish them up into bowls and pour over the buttery sauce. Sprinkle over the parmesan and the nuts, and serve with salad or garlic bread.
16| 31st May - 14th June 2013 @RedbrickMusic
Your Revision Song Contest
As we say good bye and good riddance to exam term, Redbrick Music looks back at the songs that helped us through the trials and tribulations along the way. Bonobo - 'Change Down' Jake Pembroke
Dinah Washington 'Don't Go to Strangers' Lily Blacksell
Washed Out - 'Feel It All Around' Sophie Tollet
Crystal Fighters & Feed Me - 'Love Is All I Got' Laura Hand
I can never listen to songs dominated by lyrics when I’m revising as they distract me too much! So my revision playlist is mainly made up of trip-hop, ambient, and post-rock. Everything from Atlas Sound to Zero 7, Sneaker Pimps to Massive Attack, and Sabres of Paradise to Mogwai crops up there, but if one artist gets me through revision, it’s Bonobo. 'Change Down' is the perfect mix of upbeat and ambient, even when revising the IMF has my eyelids drooping!
Sometimes it can all get a bit much. You’ve highlighted every word of your notes, you’ve had lunch at 11.20am, and you’re waiting for something new to come up on your Facebook newsfeed. Anything. Cue Dinah Washington, the self-proclaimed ‘Queen of Blues’ who lived from 1924-1963, and made the world a much more soulful place.
I feel I owe the blissed-out, ephemeral, unbelievably chilled tracks of Washed Out for my sanity over revision. It was the compelling ‘Feel It All Around’, however, that I had playing on repeat throughout those long days in the library. The stand-out track from his 2009 EP Life of Leisure, ‘Feel It All Around’ has what can only be described as a calming, deeply intense, beauty within the warm, rhythmic synths and melodic sample. This is the ideal track to listen to whilst revising: its haunting but cool sound can make even the worst cramming session slightly more bearable.
Revision. We all deal with it in different ways. Eaten the whole pack of Aldi biscuits? Fine. Had that extra glass of Drinks2Go wine? It’s okay! But there is another way to cope: your favourite revision track! 'Love Is All I Got' is a revision remedy, gently soothing minds that grate with boredom. Feed Me’s trademark grinding bassline is lighter than normal, complementing Crystal Fighters’ Hispanic drawl.
With fragile vocals, melodic piano, and the soothing strum of an acoustic guitar, ‘High Hopes’ has been my favourite revision track by a mile. Chilled enough that it’s not a distraction, but equally motivational - especially three-quarters of the way through the song where it gets more upbeat, more passionate, even more emotional - it’s a beautifully anthemic track, and I owe a lot to Kodaline for keeping me sane this exam period.
The vocals are melodic and uplifting, (‘it’s nearly over’) and the bassline is driving and motivating (‘you can do it’). With a little more than four lines this track doesn’t need much thought, so sit back, relax and enjoy!
Star Pupil: Bonobo Bonobo - 'Know You' Marianne Lampon Bonobo’s latest album The North Borders has been my most listened to record during revision, but if I had to pick one track it’d be this one. One of the quicker paced numbers, it’s chilled enough so that you don’t get distracted, but has a motivating momentum behind it to keep you going. The use of vocals is also perfect. It’s a subtle but really well-crafted track, and the same goes for the rest of the album.
'You've highlighted every word of your notes, you've had lunch at 11.20am and you're - 'High Hopes' watiting for something Kodaline Beth Coveney new to come up on Facebook. Anything.' Let the swelling strings of the intro add a bit of glamour to your despair, and Dinah’s achingly perfect vocals will do the rest. I guarantee this wonderful, graceful song will transform your desk into a dimly lit booth of a New York jazz bar, and you’ll hardly even notice your friend’s status update of ‘NO MORE EXAMS!’ or something equally insensitive.
'But there is another way to cope: your favourite revision track! 'Love Is All I Got' is a revision remedy, gently soothing minds that grate with boredom.'
Scissor Sisters 'Electrobix' Christoph Buescher The song I like to rely on for revision is the very first Scissor Sisters single called 'Electrobix'. Why? Because it features a monotonous pop beat and a distinctive, yet unobstrusive vocal delivery by Jake Sears that are motivating and will make you sing along unconsciously without actually distracting you by encouraging you to jump up and dance around instead of doing your work.
'So when the song begins with the question "are you a Scissor Sister?", what will your answer be?' Apart from that, it is simply a highly interesting and unique track with very clever lyrics. So when the song begins with the question 'are you a Scissor Sister?', what will your answer be? Mine will always be: Yes! At least for the next five minutes - or 50 minutes, since I'll probably have 'Electrobix' on repeat.
8| 31st May - 14th June 2013
Mixed results for men's cricket teams
Redbrick interview cycling sports scholar Ciara Horne
James Liddiard
When did you first start cycling? I started cycling in October 2009 (the start of my second year).
University of Birmingham 1st XI lost to Coventry University 1st XI by 14 runs. Birmingham went into the game against Coventry knowing that only a win would do to keep their promotion hopes alive. Coventry won the toss and elected to bat, which looked like a bold move when the second ball of the innings from Tom Payne uprooted the off stump of Coventry’s opener Long. However, Birmingham could not build on this, and they dropped the other opener Lewis twice before he reached double figures. Lewis survived some close LBW shouts and went on to make Birmingham pay, reaching 72 before Gareth James castled his leg stump. He was supported well by Shah who fell LBW to Jamie Tapper for 45. These two wickets seemed to rejuvenate Birmingham and wickets for Amit Patel, Jamie Tapper, thanks to sharp glove-work from wicketkeeper Ash Brewer, and James Liddiard pegged back Coventry to 150-6 from 40 overs. Despite this Birmingham could not capitalise on this and a drop in concentration would prove to be costly as Coventry accelerated in the last few overs. Hodson-Walher made an unbeaten 56 as he was aided by some poor bowling and fielding. This meant that Coventry finished on 225-7, which on a batsman friendly pitch still looked under par. Birmingham’s reply struggled to get going and they lost early wickets. A strong opening spell from Coventry’s Pearce, who ended up with figures of 4 for 39 from his ten overs, placed Birmingham on the back foot. Arit Dutta, 36, and Gareth James, 78, steadied the innings, but when Dutta fell LBW to Asghar and was followed quickly by two more wick-
ets Birmingham looked in trouble. James continued his innings regardless; playing a fine array of shots, including several perfectly played dilscoops. With support from Ash Brewer, 21, Birmingham looked on course to reach their target, needing just 40 off eight overs with four wickets remaining. The re-introduction of Pearce to the attack proved to be pivotal. He claimed two wickets in two balls, including the impressive James caught behind. When Brewer became Birmingham’s fourth LBW victim, a victory for Coventry seemed almost assured. Toby Tarrant played some expansive shots causing concern among the fielding team, but they picked up the final wicket at the end of the 48th over, leaving Birmingham 14 short, at 211 all out. University of Birmingham 2nd XI beat Derby University 1st XI by 117 runs. Birmingham 2nd XI went into their game against Derby knowing, like the 1st XI, that a victory was vital. After winning the toss and choosing to bat Birmingham made the most of some poor Derby bowling. Both Jonathon Boukhobza and Ben Frost made impressive centuries and they were followed up by quick hitting half centuries from Andrew Longstreet and Simon Rivers. Birmingham ended on a mammoth 363 for 3 off their 50 overs. Derby’s reply never got going, Adam Yates picked up three wickets with Matt Tigg and Phil Edwards also bagging two each. Despite some late hitting from the Derby lower order they never threatened the total and finished up 117 short after being bowled out for 246.
And what made you start to take it seriously? I’m a very competitive person, and its not in my nature to do something half heartedly, and despite getting dropped or lapped in my first cycling races, I wanted more and always set goals along the way to help me achieve more. I think you make your own luck in life and I’ve always believed if you work hard enough, you’ll get the results you deserve. How many miles do you cycle in a week? It is not so much miles as with track and time trial, you do very specific top end or interval efforts. Some of these sessions may only take an hour but would cause a lot more fatigue than say a 3 hour bike ride. It is all dependent on what stage of the season you are in and whether you are targeting road, track or time trial. Where's the coolest place you've got to go on a bike? I think Cali, Colombia is pretty cool! I’ve been lucky enough to compete at three track World Cups in Cali and really enjoy the atmosphere there. What is your best result in a race? Finishing second overall in the World Cup series this winter in the team pursuit with a silver in Cali, Colombia and a bronze in Mexico. What's the worst thing about road cycling? Cars! Why did you choose the University of Birmingham? It is one of the best universities for my chosen degree; Physiotherapy and it is one of the best universities for sport, so it is perfect! Who do you prefer: Bradley Wiggins or Mark Cavendish? I think both are sporting legends so I couldn’t possibly pick. However, if I were to pick who I would most like to follow in the footsteps of (because I cannot sprint!!!) I’d pick Bradley Wiggins; as he is Olympic Time trial champion, and I would love this title more than anything. What do you plan to do after graduating University? Ride my bike full time. If you were to choose another sport to compete in, what would it be? Swimming without a doubt. Do you have a favourite night out in Birmingham, and why? At the risk of sounding like I have no social life (well.....I don’t!) in my first year I loved Fab and Gatecrasher, but I can honestly say, I’m quite boring now, and its all about the bike and getting my degree done.... It’s possible to balance a degree, elite sport and family and friends, but adding in weekly nights out to the equation just doesn’t work for me personally. It is all about the marginal gains, and I don’t like getting ill! However, my friends would answer this with FAB! Where are the best places to go cycling in the area? Around Birmingham there are plenty of great routes, plenty of hills too! Head out towards Romsley and Farley Lane for hill reps, that is always a good session. The thing you'll miss most about the University? Everything! In particular, the amazing team at the Physiotherapy school who have supported me throughout my degree. The high performance guys who have been incredibly supportive throughout and have helped me develop into the athlete I am today, so hopefully, I can continue improving and make the University of Birmingham proud.
Ciara Horne
www.redbrick.me/music |17
Redbrick Meets: Frank Turner Josh Carvell Music Critic
@Josh Carvell
For Frank Turner, 2012 was undoubtedly a career high. It was a year that saw him headline Wembley Arena before playing in front of a packed Olympic stadium in the opening ceremony of the London games. But it was not plain sailing weather for the folkpunk troubadour, with Turner going through a painful breakup. He reflects ‘It's that classic thing: while everything goes well in my career, behind the scenes other things have to give.’ The result of this personal crisis was Tape Deck Heart, a personal record addressing the end of a relationship that Turner says he ‘screwed up.’ It is a visceral record that sees Turner return to a self-critical style of songwriting that was last seen in his sophomore album Love Ire & Song. Despite the dark subject matter, Turner emphasizes the therapeutic nature of the album: ‘music is catharsis, partly, for me. I think with the new album there was a degree to which I was consciously looking to go back to that level of self-introspection.’ A lot of the attraction towards Turner lies in his nature as an imperfect person seeking redemption, not through a higher being, but through ‘the power of rock and roll.’ Central to his approach are his punk-rock values: ‘I think that I am personally still driven by my understanding of punk ethics - ideas like honesty, energy, iconoclasm, that kind of thing.’ Musically, however, Turner
draws as much from folk as he does punk: ‘I used the word "folk" a lot when I started playing solo, partly as an ideological thing - this is music for everyone. But I don't really make "folk" music in the strict understanding of the term.’ Indeed the fusion of the ethos of both these genres has led to his widespread appeal, with Turner acquiring a diverse fan base with people of all ages getting behind his music and message. ‘It's something that I'm very proud of’, Turner states. ‘I love the fact that the demographic at my shows is really broad, again, it's supposed to be music for everyone. But Turner refuses to be drawn on speculation about his success: ‘If I spent too much time trying to examine the reasons, I'd disappear up my own arse pretty quickly, I think.’
'I am personally still driven by my understanding of punk ethics- ideas like honesty, energy, iconoclasm, that kind of thing'
Despite the reluctance to over-examine his success, he does take pride in his DIY approach to music, which he has managed to keep despite his popularity: ‘To me DIY doesn't necessarily mean photocopying zines and self-releasing CDRs. It means being pro-active, taking charge, not waiting around for someone else to do something for you.’ The only thing that has
changed is that he has the backing of a major record company: ‘These days there are people who release my records for me - great, that gives me time to be active doing something else.’ Although the subject matter changes, each of his albums uses the images of the sea and the sailor to represent Turner’s life as a man living life on the road. Although refuting the idea that it was an intentional theme, Turner states: ‘I was always fascinated by the sea and sailing, and I also love the way T S Eliot believed that sailors were the only people with a shot at redemption’ Many of Frank Turner’s literary and musical icons are featured in his work, with Turner making frequent references to figures such as Ernest Hemingway and Bob Dillon. When pressed about these references, Turner stated ‘it’s not something I do deliberately, but I enjoy a lot of poetry and music and it forms part of my view of the world, so they slip into the music and the words.’ With an ever-growing fanbase of devoted followers, it would not come as a surprise to see Turner adored in a similar way to his idols. The appeal of his music is matched by the attraction of his message, and he is quickly becoming one of the countries national treasures. Not that it would affect Turner, who remains down to true to his character in an understated yet poignant final point: ‘I do my best to be on a level with everyone I come across, in music or elsewhere.’
Single Review: Stooshe - 'Slip'
Album Review: Laura Marling - Once I was an Eagle Lily Blacksell Music Editor
@LilyBlacksell
Once I was an Eagle is a beautiful album. It will croon and cradle you one minute, and the next it’ll be dangling you by your ankles from a top floor window. Such is the power of Marling’s musicality. She has always been wise beyond her years, cutting her teeth with her adolescent debuts on the ‘nu folk’ scene in London and releasing Alas, I Cannot Swim in 2008 at the tender age of 18. 2010’s I Speak Because I Can proved Laura had plenty to say and earned her a second Mercury Prize nomination. A Creature I Don’t Know showed her growing into her subject matter a bit more, taking the darkness of previous tracks such as ‘Night Terror’ and ‘Devil’s Spoke’ and running with it as fast as she could towards a Joni Mitchell museum. Once I was an Eagle is something of a coming of age record. To call her previous releases precocious would be woefully unfair, but Laura Marling is barely 23 and to be on a fourth album is very good going, especially when it is a 63 minute tour de force. Instrumentally, lyrically and in every other way, Marling has truly and fully settled into her considerable role as (nu?) folk’s first female prime minister. The album’s first tracks spill into one another, setting a tranquil scene for track five, the current single, ‘Master Hunter’ to come stomping through, staking lyrical claims such as ‘You want a woman who’ll call your name / It ain’t me, babe’. Later tracks such as ‘Devil’s Resting Place’ are just as stirring, thanks to a modal chord progression borrowed from ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ and an impressive instrumental backing.
'Marling is a great deal more than a "freewheeling troubadour" with a guitar and a nice voice.'
Christoph Buescher Prince of Pop
@ClebyB
They've been refered to as the next big girl band coming from the UK and they've already had two top five hits with 'Love Me' and 'Black Heart'. Now, more than a year after the release of their first single, Stooshe are finally releasing their debut studio album London With The Lights On, which has already been positively described as 'eavesdropping on a conversation between funny, trash-talking women who happen to sing like a trio of Beyoncés' by The
Guardian and is preceeded by the group's fourth single 'Slip'. Just like their previous efforts, the track is a fun popsong with Motown influences and a designated radio hit. Lyrically, Stooshe address people who are in a long-term relationship and begin to take things for granted, instead of trying to win their partner's heart over and over again. Courtney Rumbold, Alexandra Buggs and Karis Anderson rely on their powerful voices, a catchy melody and an entertaining music video with
retro settings and choreographies to distract from the quite boring verses, managing to create a single that might not be as strong as their biggest hit 'Black Heart', but that is certainly on the same level as 'Love Me'. 'Slip' will definitely put a smile on your face and make you want to listen to Stooshe's critically acclaimed album. And sooner or later you will find that – unconsiously, unintentionally – you have started to sing along.
Many of Marling’s vocals carry an audible, all-knowing smile, one that curls through ‘You Know’, and the words ‘I’m not your tiny dancer’ in ‘Little Love Caster.’ As lyrics tumble from the invincible to the vulnerable; ‘I will not be a victim of romance’ in ‘I Was An Eagle’ to ‘it’s a curse of mine to be sad at night’ in ‘Where Can I Go?’, Marling is unerringly arresting, and the record is all the more poignant for it. I ought to give further credit where further credit is due in the instrumental range of the album. A Hammond organ makes ‘Once’ all the more mellow, with cellos, a double bass and various drums doing sterling work elsewhere. Track eight, an ‘Interlude’ of looped strings, allows for a mid-point reflection before ‘Undine’ adds a bit of yee ha to proceedings. Laura Marling is a great deal more than a ‘freewheeling troubadour’ with a guitar and a nice voice. She has musical brilliance that has spouted four albums, dreamt up a score for the RSC’s current production of ‘As You Like It’, and should certainly secure her a third Mercury nomination.
18| 31st May- 14th June 2013 @RedbrickLifeStyle
The Gatsby Summer Hype Life & Style Editor Victoria Haworth explores the Gatsby fashion trend and where to find the best copies on the high street. Ever since the initial rumours of a Baz Luhrmann take on The Great Gatsby, the fashion world must have prepared itself for a revival of all things twenties. However, I cannot help but ponder on how the films postponement from winter 2012 to spring 2013 may have affected the commerciality of the Gatsby Hype. When I think of 1920s fashion, I think black and sequined. I think Catherine Zeta-Jones strutting along to All That Jazz with beaded fringing smashing against her legs. I think of highly made up faces, plastered with red lips and a sleek Louise Brooks bob. Twenties is, for me, the perfect winter theme, so the question of how fashion could revive such lustrous glamour for an audience so eager to embrace the sun kissed beach curls, particularly after such a miserable winter, intrigued me. I think the answer here is that this summer’s trend is not so much a twenties revival, as a ‘Gatsby Hype’, or more specifically, a Gatsby inspired hype. Anyone who knows Fitzgerald’s book knows that The Great Gatsby is set in the smouldering heat of summer 1922. And whilst my initial associations of stereotypical dress correspond with a wintery darkness, Fitzgerald dresses Daisy in lavender, Jordan in
white and Gatsby, most notoriously, in pink. And just like the majority of Fitzgerald’s intricate imagery, Luhrmann incorporates these colour schemes into his screenplay, the fluttering virginal whiteness of Daisy’s initial attire creating dreamlike visions of an almost heavenly quality. It is these colours which have adapted into the Spring/Summer ‘Gatsby Girl’ look. We find a refreshing palate of whites, creams and ivories, with darker beading framing the bold symmetric shapes of the deco style. But even with Fitzgerald’s lighter tones, the excesses of the twenties costumes coincide with weight. Whilst Jordan and Daisy may be presented at the beginning of the novel with their linen day dresses floating in the breeze, evening-wear Gatsby style is heavy and embellished, certainly not a style the modern west embraces for its summer dress. However, walking into the production, Luhrmann knew his costumes and music would not be true to the twenties innovations, and that he would mix the key iconic images of the twenties with a light air of modernity. His wife and chief costume designer, Catherine Martin describes 'We've got to get the audience to feel how it must have felt
to hear jazz for the first time at a party. You need to feel how scintillating, extraordinary, new and dynamic these things were; there needs to be a frisson of the new for people to actually understand what it was really like to be there in the Twenties.’ Therefore, Martin worked alongside Miuccia Prada and Brooks Brothers to create a new edge to the Gatsby tradition, fighting the barriers of conservatism more than those in the twenties ever really could, but maintaining the most important statement; the statement of excess. It is these trends which have infiltrated the catwalks, taking the key excesses of the twenties and those stereotypical images; the beading, the feathers and the fringing, and putting them onto clothes which can still be perceived as innovative in a market nearly a century after the base texts production. But the styles are simplified; excesses do not dominate the pieces but merely sophisticate them. We can wear the beaded tops without feeling dragged down in their weight, but elaborated by the refinement of the deco inspiration. The twenties have most certainly come to the twenty-first century, and due to Gatsby, it’s a decade more loved than ever.
Stepped Hem Embellished Top River Island £50
Iridescent Triangle Necklace New Look £9.99
www.redbrick.me/lifestyle |19
Best Dressed at Cannes 2013
Fierce
Amy Wakeham
Alexandra Landes Life&Style Editor
Life&Style Writer
Cannes has always been the playground of choice for the rich, famous and lavishly dressed. It’s an annual opportunity for them to flaunt their yachts and throw parties that us mere mortals can only dream of attending. From Chanel’s renowned annual showcase of their pre- Spring/ Summer collection to the descent of every international star of the silver screen to a tiny seaside town in the south of France, Cannes is a fortnight-long party that you absolutely cannot miss, whether you’re a supermodel, superblogger, superstar or a mere spectator, like the rest of us.
Jennifer Aniston 44 years of age, yet still looks hotter than the majority of us in snaps released from her new film 'We're The Millers' as she strips down to her undies. Fresh Prince Reunion The current viral video of Will Smith and Carlton, doing their Fresh Prince of Bel Air thing on the Graham Norton Show. Oh Carlton, how we’ve missed you and your outlandish dance moves! Fake PSY A man posing as the Korean ‘Gangnam Style’ singer managed to blag his way to parties and VIP events at Cannes film festival for two days armed with just a pair of PSY trademark sunglasses. Fair play to the guy. January Jones The 'Mad Men' star looking absolutely stunning for her recent photo shoot for Net-a-Porter.com, modelling their new couture items. Obviously can’t afford anything, but gawping is free. Romeo and Juliet Trailer The new film set to come out this July which is starring the oh-sopretty Douglas Booth AND Ed Westwick. Well, what more could a girl want?
Radio 1 Big Weekend Fashion Rita Ora was working (or not as the case may be) what can only be described as heeled crocs paired with a luminous matching tracksuit. Copies of the look coming to a Primark near you. Poor Amanda Bynes What has happened to the squeaky clean 'She’s the Man’ star? Arrested for throwing a bong out of the window...a far flung cry from her Nickelodeon days.
The annual Cinema Against AIDS Gala to benefit amfAR, a charity which researches cures and preventions for HIV and AIDS, is a yearly highlight of the Cannes festival. With 2013 being its 20th anniversary year, the organisers pulled out all the stops, a catwalk show curated by Carine Roitfeld and featuring such supers as Rosie Huntington-Whitely heading the bill. However it was on the red carpet the Brit supermodel shone the most, with the sculptural lines of a simple, yet scene-stealing, white dress by Christian Dior both showing off her phenomenal body and nodding to this season’s trend for clean-cut, architectural lines.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that nothing will ever be able to beat a man in a classic black tuxedo, a fact which makes picking the best dressed male at a red carpet event such as Cannes extra difficult. However, James Franco in his sky blue Gucci summer suit is definitely a contender for the role. The fabric is just the right side of shiny to make it appropriate for a day time event, and his simple accessorizing with casual brogues and aviators make him appear a lot less stuffy and overheated in the Cannes sun than his fellow tuxedo wearing co-stars. Pity his lace is undone though.
Winner of this year’s 'red carpet rock' and 'most amazing transformation ever award' goes to our suspicious package of 'white powder' dropping- Cara Delevine for her simultaneously ravishing and gothic appearance on the Cannes red carpet. After arriving at the airport in her typical tomboy style, Cara emerged on the red carpet in a dramatic black lace Burberry gown, dripping in Chopard diamonds and looking every bit the femme fatale. A transformation that every Life & Style reader seeks to achieve between the library and Fab. Cara looked on-trend in gothic lace with a classically elegant silhouette and statement makeup.
Rihanna selfies In case you haven’t been on the internet in the past week, you may have missed out on a semi-nude pic of Rihanna. If so, head to her Twitter now, as Rihanna posted a selfie this weekof her wearing not much else than a denim thong.
Finished
20 | 31st May - 14th June 2013 @RedbrickTravel
To Peru with Love Laura Foster
The Wonders of Machu Picchu
Travel Writer
In the last decade, Peru has become the destination and must-see country for many travellers, with visits usually dedicated to seeing one thing – Machu Picchu. Situated some 2000 metres above sea level, amongst Peru’s highest peaks, this Inca site is perhaps the most famous and overly photographed landmark that Peru has to offer. As soon as you step onto South American territory, pictures of Machu Picchu are brutally thrust upon you in every way possible – on postcards, at airports, and on every traveller’s Facebook page. There really is no escaping that famous shot. But is it really worth an expensive, uncomfortable, long haul flight to see the real thing? Yes, it is. And the best way to see it? At sunrise, after an even more expensive, intense, high-altitude, four-day trek – more commonly known as the Inca Trail. If you are thinking of doing this famous trek, then to ensure you have the best experience possible you need to plan ahead – two words which seasoned travellers and laidback hippies hate hearing. Unfortunately however, you can’t just casually rock up at Cusco and expect to jump on the next tour leaving. Trekking the trail with a guided tour is compulsory, and only 200 permits are given to tourists each day. Booking months in advance is therefore essential. There’s no point in sugar-coating the facts - unless you run high-altitude marathons for fun, the Inca trail is not an easy stroll through the Andes, and a basic level of fitness is required to tackle the heights. It also isn’t cheap, and if it is, you’ve done something wrong. The money you pay usually goes towards your permit for the trail, all entrance fees for the en-route Inca ruins, bedding and camping equipment, and (most importantly) all your meals and snacks throughout the four days. If you skimp on your tour, you skimp on your food and equipment, and your Inca Trail experience is likely to be ruined by regular vomiting and sleepless nights. Yet you don’t have to dish out thousands to have a good time, despite what many companies will tell you. Most mid-range yet reputable tour companies charge students anywhere between £300 - £400 per person, but you may be able to find off-season deals
that charge slightly less. The most important thing is to do your research, read reviews, and check what’s included. Assuming that you’ve picked a good enough tour operator, the trek itself promises early rises, fantastic food, a few mood swings, sweaty hill climbs, lots of talking and beautiful views throughout. Or at least that was my experience last March. On the first day our tour guide and porters picked us up from our hotel in Cusco at a distressing 5am. After meeting and sizing up the rest of our group we made the three-hour bus journey to Piscacucho – 2680m above seawater and the departure point for the trail. What followed was a relatively easy 12km walk, in beautiful sunshine through lush green mountains. Feeling slightly arrogant about the ease and speed with which we managed to get to our campsite for dinner, our legendary tour guide, Reuben, assured us it was all good training for the next day. But it wasn’t enough. Day 2 of the Inca Trail is tough and painful. Everything hurt – our bodies from the day before, and our lungs from the 1000m ascent the second day required. After a grueling two-hour climb up steep, persistent steps, we reached the top, appropriately named ‘Dead Woman’s Pass’, at 4200m. If you can still breathe and see clearly, it’s definitely worth sitting here for a while to take in the spectacular view, and if nothing else, to have a break before you have to carefully walk all the way back down the other side. Whilst going down isn’t as physically strenuous as coming up, the steep, cobbled steps are definitely ankle-breaking material, so extra care is needed. After lunch and a well-deserved break, the physical torture continued, and we had to climb up another seemingly infinite staircase for over an hour – this time in the rain. 2 hours and a few tantrums later, we finally arrived at our campsite, ate an amazing dinner, and fell asleep before 8pm. Day 3 is by far the most enjoyable. Feeling invincible after the day before and far more confident in my zip-off walking trousers, the 15km we covered was mostly flat and downhill. We ran into llamas, explored misty Inca ruins and took far too many cheesy photo-
graphs of each other looking out into the distance. The campsite is a lot busier on the last evening, as this is where every tour sleeps before the final trek to Machu Picchu the next morning. When the day finally arrived, we woke up at 4am and walked for an hour or so before reaching the Sun Gate – the spot where you get that famous view of Machu Picchu as it’s hit by the morning sun. When we got there, it was unfortunately covered in cloud. Whilst the cloud hindered our ability to see Machu Picchu, it definitely added to the atmosphere, and by the time we had made the 45 minute descent towards the city, the sun was shining. Walking around Machu Picchu itself is unbelievable - and our tour guide Reuben proved he was worth every penny, as he steered us away from the crowds and gave us one of the most memorable and interesting tours yet. Whilst I’m sure it is just as easy to appreciate the magnificence of Machu Picchu after a 30 minute bus ride, there’s nothing more satisfying than seeing it after walking a challenging 42 km through the Andes. For anyone willing to put themselves through a little physical pressure, the four days promise a lot of fun, beautiful views, and a truly rewarding experience.
www.redbrick.me/travel | 21
Your Guide to the Best of Rajasthan, India Elizabeth Waind Travel Writer
Agra: Although technically not in Rajasthan itself, but just outside the region, it would be a crime not to visit Agra and the Taj Mahal – one of the world’s most famous and most beautiful buildings – whilst you’re in the vicinity. The Taj Mahal and its story are as famous as they are for a reason, and you won’t regret paying the slightly pricey entrance fee to see it with your own eyes. But it doesn’t all end with the Taj; Agra also boasts a ‘Baby Taj’, and a huge red fort with a great view over the river to the Taj Mahal.
Jaisalmer: Jaisalmer will probably be the last destination on your tour of Rajasthan, situated at the far west of the region, and you’ll certainly need to get used to the Indian heat before you go there; don’t forget your sun cream! A breath-taking, Aladdinstyle fort town in the middle of the desert, Jaisalmer hosts a huge, golden fort and is the prime place to go in the region for a camel safari. Make sure to spend at least one night sleeping under the desert stars – an unforgettable experience that will leave you feeling like Princess Jasmine.
Jodhpur: Also known as ‘the Blue City’, this town, as seen from Jodhpur’s looming fort, is a sea of higgledy-piggledy blue buildings. The fort is the town’s main attraction, and really is magnificent. A fairly new feature of Jodhpur is a zip wire course which runs across the fort grounds. Flying past the fort at thirty feet is quite something, but make sure to avoid doing the course in the middle of the day as there is no shade between the wires, and the desert sun is hot. You can’t beat sitting in one of Jodhpur’s many roof top restaurants in the evening with the lit up fort high above you; well, certainly not sat in your dingy Selly Oak bedroom on your laptop, if that’s what you had planned for your summer.
Pushkar: Pushkar probably has the fewest sights to see of these five destinations, but is arguably the most peaceful and chilled out of them all. Famous for the beautiful holy lake at its centre, Pushkar attracts pilgrims from afar who go to bathe in the holy water. The town’s narrow streets are lined with juice bars and shops crammed with beautiful wall hangings; it’s the perfect spot to have a few slightly more relaxed days. However, don’t go to Pushkar for a meat and beer filled few days, since both meat and alcohol are banned from this little holy town.
Udaipur: Udaipur is a bit more up-market than some of Rajasthan’s other top destinations. It is the holiday destination of the wealthiest Indians, and those with top dollar might be able to afford to stay in the beautiful, apparently floating, palace hotel in the middle of the town’s lake. And if you didn’t recognise the name as where James Bond ‘Octopussy’ was filmed, then you will when you get there; the streets are lined with signs declaring, ‘Octopussy: showing here, every night!’ You’re likely to leave Udaipur raving that it’s definitely where you’re going to go back in ten years to get married.
22| 31st May - 14th June 2013
@RedbrickSci&Tech
Angelina Jolie takes a stand against breast cancer The actress speaks out about her recent health scare in op-ed for the New York Times
Claire Harris
Soumya Perinparajah
Science & Tech Editor
Science & Tech Editor
@SoumyaPerin
With the fight against breast and cervical cancer becoming more prominent in today’s media, Science and Technology take a look at how today’s celebrity culture has influenced public awareness and health choices. The recent revelation of Angelina Jolie’s double mastectomy (breast removal) has boosted breast cancer campaigns into the spotlight once again. Genetic testing revealed that Jolie had the faulty BRCA1 gene which meant that she had a frightening 87 percent risk of breast cancer and 50 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer. Discovered back in the early 1990’s, the Breast Cancer Susceptibility genes 1 and 2 (BRCA1 and BRCA2) are expressed predominantly in the breast tissue, as well as in the ovaries. They both belong to the family of tumour suppressor genes, and function to repair damaged DNA, and therefore prevent uncontrolled cell growth. Breast cancer takes thousands of lives worldwide, and is the most common type of cancer in the UK, with the average woman carrying a 12% risk of developing the disease. The shocking statistics are that of those carrying the mutated BRCA 1 and 2 genes, 40 to 90 percent will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. Further preventative surgery also includes oophorectomy (ovary removal), a procedure which Jolie did not undergo. She hoped that by sharing her experience with the media, it would encourage women with a family history of breast cancer to seek out more information. As part of a new drive for earlier diagnosis of breast cancer, new guidance is currently being published which is expected to double the number of women eligible for genetic screening. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) plans to lower the risk threshold for screening women carrying the faulty gene from 20 to 10 percent. Fears abound, especially following Jolie’s announcement, that the expected rise in demand for genetic testing will put further strain on NHS services. Currently there are 35 centres for the testing in the UK, but budget cuts and understaffing may mean that women have to endure long waiting periods. Indeed in some areas, MRI breast screenings have been refused to women at moderate risk in the past, despite recommendations that they should have them, all due to budget shortages. The reforms are due to
take place in the summer, and will be implemented across the whole of England. Back in 2009, Jade Goody’s fight against cervical cancer prompted over 400,000 women to seek cervical screening. However, four years on, it appears that numbers have dramatically declined with just under 80 percent of women now being tested. New campaigns are being launched to lower the age at which women are tested from 25 back to the original 20, following the tragic death of Becky Ryder. The 26 year old had asked for a cervical screen from her doctor two years prior to being diagnosed with cervical cancer, but was refused due to her age. Screening figures often fluctuate with respect to shocking stories like these, slowly declining until another case comes to light. Certainly there has been an intrinsic link between public health choices and what is in the news.
“Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into people’s hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness. But today it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action.” Angelina Jolie
Best of Redbrick Science & Tech Sam Atkins 2012-2013 Andrew Spencer Science & Tech Editor
@AndrewSpencerr
Eurogamer 2012 saw the UK debut of Nintendo’s Wii U, as well as incredible demos from the likes of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Assassin’s Creed III. One of our favourite games of the show, GRID 2, has finally seen a release receiving high praise from critics.
Nov
Nintendo announced the release date and price of the Wii U.
2012
Oct
@Atkins_Sam
Six months ago, 22Cans released the first of 22 social experiments - an app called Curiousity. The idea was that anyone could download the app and start tapping away at a giant cube, breaking away millions of tiles. People were supposed to be driven by curiosity to find out what was in the centre of the cube. Last week the final block was destroyed and it was revealed that Bryan Henderson was the victor of the experiment, receiving the prize of playing “God” in 22Cans’ next game.
Oct
Sept
Science & Tech Editor
The fight over developing tar sands in Canada intensifies with the first comments being released about the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport oil reserves from the sands. Activists and lobbyists are keen to halt this advancement. However, the expansion continues, and engineering crane company Sarens has just struck a deal to build a refinery to extract bitumen.
Jasper the dog regained the use of his back legs after a stem cell transplant from his nose into the spine. A Japanese researcher was fired when he falsely claimed to have successfully used stem cells to treat a patient with heart failure.
Oct
Nov
Nov
Back in December we visited Kwalee, a games developer in Leamington Spa. They walked us through some of their latest social app games and shared some exciting future developments such as Farm Fighters, a physics-based game set to be released this Summer. Their recent release, Flip the Cats has been quite a success so far.
www.redbrick.me/tech | 23
Opinion: Should celebrities have so much influence on our health choices? Love it or hate it, celebrities are everywhere in the media today. Those brave enough to share their stories about ill health have often prompted the public to be more aware of the health risks. Often they add fuel to campaigns and help to make topics such as breast screening easier to discuss. Over the last few years an increase in powerful ad campaigns on TV and in print featuring high profile celebrities has enhanced public interest in a topic that they might otherwise be unaware of. Overall, I feel that adding a celebrity face has helped make these topics more relatable to even those who have been unaffected by cancer.
An op-ed itself is defined as a newspaper article that expresses the opinion of a named writer. With this in mind, it is important to note that while Angelina Jolie’s op-ed does indeed contain facts and figures that universally ring true about breast cancer, it is only one woman’s experience. Of course, the enormous public interest in the article is due to Jolie’s status as an A-list Hollywood actress and director, and one half of the infamous Brangelina. Unfortunately, a negative consequence is that some women may insist on having a mastectomy against the advice of their doctor or surgeon, despite only having a moderate risk. And we must not forget that as with all types of cancers, hereditary genetics is not the only way to get cancer. The emergence of cancer mutations is also affected by environmental mutagens such as UV or ionising radiation. Overall, this article seems to be a double-edged sword.
Whatever your opinion, talking about cancer is key to maintaining awareness. Early diagnosis is the most important step in effectively treating cancer so it's important to get checked if you are concerned. Contribute to fundraising and find out more at:
www.cancerresearchuk.org
www.macmillan.org.uk
www.breastcancercare.org.uk
3D printing has undergone huge advances even in a few short months. From printing meat, the field has progressed to producing bone grafts and custom made prosthetic limbs. But further on the food front, NASA have just began to fund a project to ‘print’ meals for astronauts! It seems as if 3D printing is set to have a promising future.
2013
Mar Feb
Jan
Sufferring from backlash from players across the games industry and public, Sim City’s troubled release was one of the big stories of 2013 so far. With it’s online only focus, even when played in single player it would go on to inspire resentment towards any DRM or always online content to be announced.
This year saw the end of THQ, following a long financial struggle, its studios auctioned off to companies like Ubisoft and Sega.
Feb This year at the annual Consumer Electronics Show, plenty of new exciting gadgets were showcased such as digital forks, 4K TVs and robot massagers.
Jan
The PlayStation 4 anouncement saw a mixed reaction as Sony opted to focus on the games for their new system rather than debuting the device itself. That said, once Microsoft’s own console announcement arrived in May the lack of games shown for the Xbox One made Sony’s showing seem much more exciting on reflection.
The Science & Tech team visited the Gadget Show at the NEC in Birmingham.
Feb
The entire Redbrick Science & Tech team collaborated on a 2 page feature on crowd funding, our very own crowd sourced featured. Covering topics on Games, Tech and Science we looked at some of the most interesting and exciting projects currently in development. Many of these have successfully reached their target and begun production.
Apr
2013
24| 31st May - 14th June 2013 @RedbrickTV
Tim Stillwell
Burritos, Back-Stabbing and meeting Sir Alan
Jo Kendall TV Editor Birmingham graduate Tim Stillwell caused great excitement on campus when his name was released as part of the final sixteen candidates to be storming the boardroom for this year’s series of The Apprentice. Having spent time in Mexico in 2011 as a part of his degree, Stillwell launched the famous Burrito Van on campus in 2012. Winning Lord Sugar's £250,000 investment would have been the next step to increase his business on a national level. However things didn’t go as planned. But, although Tim may be out, he is certainly not down. As one of the youngest candidates on this year’s show Tim said that being selected was not something he envisaged happening when he graduated a few years ago “Once I found out I had been selected for the show it was too good an opportunity to refuse. No-one is giving money to small businesses at the moment, and as a young graduate I had nothing to lose”.
In episode one Tim came under fire from Lord Sugar for not speaking up as he accused Tim of being “one of those guys who keeps quiet”. His response was to speak up, despite having won the task, something he regretted “big time”. When asked about his experiences in the board room and why he thought he was accused of being to quiet Tim replied “In the board room there is so much lying- people will do anything to stay in. That was not what I wanted, I didn’t want to be fake or be part of the back stabbing which is probably why I left so early.” Week one saw the traditional split between the boys and the girls, and this year the boys were dominated by some big characters. When talking about his experience as being a part of the boys, Tim said that he automatically got on well with and looked up to fellow contestant Miles.“He's at a different stage of life to me. Whilst I am launching Burrito Kitchen, Miles has already made his first million. Being exposed to people like that is great for me.” Week two saw a completely unexpected turn as Lord Sugar moved Tim from the boys and appointed him as Project manager of the girls. Tim admitted the first thing that went through his head was “Right this is either a chance to shine or to fail miserably” He said “It was a team of very strong characters, I didn’t know they’re names or what they did, it felt like the first task all over again.” Unfortunately for Tim, being PM for the girls didn’t prove to be his time to shine, with Lord Sugar accusing his team of not being able to “organise a piss-up in a brewery” leaving him the second candidate to leave the board room for good. When asked about his encounter with Lord Sugar Tim said “They build up the suspense and keep you waiting before you meet Lord Sugar for the first time.” He described the pressure that each candidate is put under to impress him in the board room “You don’t ever see him off camera, and he doesn’t speak to you when the cameras aren’t rolling.” However despite not becoming Lord Sugar’s next business partner Tim is not discouraged as he pushes forwards with his Mexican food business The Burrito Kitchen. In addition to the successful Burrito Van on
campus Tim is launching another unit in Westfield at the end of June. From there he is looking to launch units in the Bullring and Solihull, taking on big competitors such as McDonalds and KFC. But it’s not all good news, as the Burrito Van on campus is under threat as the university is asking Tim to leave by the end of the academic year. So it’s down to the students of Birmingham to save the Burrito Van. The petition can be found on Change.org. Also check out Tim and what he is up to at: Burritokitchen.com or TimStillwell.com
www.redbrickpaper.co.uk/television | 25
Parks & Recreation Daisy Follett TV Editor Parks and Recreation has been highly successful in the USA since it was first shown in 2009, currently in its 5th series and with several Emmy award nominations, including 'Best Comedy Series' and 'Best Actress'. Which is why I don’t understand how it’s only just appeared over here, or why it’s been hidden on late-night BBC 4. But don’t let the timetabling, or the rubbish title, put you off. This is a subtle comedy, completely different to the in-your-face rubbish the BBC keeps churning out (anyone who’s seen Mrs Browns Boys will know where I’m coming from here). My first impression of the show was of a glossy American-ised version of The Office; it’s set in an office(!), shot documentary style and stars a boss with absolutely no self-awareness whatsoever, played by the wonderful Amy Poehler. In fact it’s actually written by the guys behind the American version of The Office, Greg Daniels and Micheal Schur, which might be why it feels a little copycat, in a good way. The first episode introduces us to Leslie Knope (Poehler) the slightly ditsy deputy director of a Parks and Recreation department of a town in Indiana. She basically builds parks, and technically is part of government, but in reality spends her time trying to stop drunks from sleeping in the slides of children’s play parks. What’s sweet/ deluded about her is how she seems completely oblivious to the mundane nature of her job, comparing herself to
Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin within the first 5 minutes, and going on to describe a park she’s building as “my own Hoover Dam”. We also meet other members of the office, Tom, who Leslie thinks is Libyan despite him being a self-confessed redneck, and Mark, who it’s fair to say she has quite a crush on. The episode follows her as she makes plans to build a new park, as does the second episode. I honestly don’t know how this was pitched to NBC, it sounds so dull in writing. This series is definitely a slow starter, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I started writing this article when the BBC first started showing Parks and Rec a few weeks ago, and thought it was okay, but not great. My views of it have changed a lot since then. Or to put it another way, after three episodes I became completely addicted and have now seen all five series, with fairly dire consequences for my revision. Its amazing. What makes this show so great is that unlike other american comedies like Big Bang Theory or How I Met Your Mother, there's an actual storyline, and drama, and a plot. So when something happens it actually affects the next episode, rather than the writers just hitting a big automatic reset button at the end of every episode. The annoying thing about this show is I don't want to recommend it to people in case they watch the first couple of episodes and then write it off. Trust me, its worth giving it more time. If you're looking for a new show to get into, to waste away those hazy, blissful post exam days, I'd recommend giv-
TV News Jo Kendall TV Editor Sharon Osbourne, Nicole Scherzinger, Gary Barlow and Louis Walsh have finally been confirmed as this year’s X Factor judging panel. The return of Sharon Osbourne is likely to cause a Marmite reaction amongst fans. They’ll either love it or hate it. Sharon herself has said: ''I couldn't be happier about coming back for the 10th anniversary of 'X Factor'. I can't wait to give Gary Barlow a big hug, sit next to the gorgeous Nicole, and of course throw water on dear Louis. Yay!'' Rumours are spreading that Essex girl Denise Van Outen has been to several meetings with soap bosses to discuss joining the cast of Eastenders. Casting Outen seems like an attempt by the show to boost their flagging ratings. While the BBC has released very little information it is thought programme chiefs see her as a ''new, young and fresh'' Peggy Mitchell”. Denise herself has admitted she would love to join the show, stating: “I love 'EastEnders' and I know quite a few people in the cast. I went to school with Nicola Stapleton (Mandy) and Samantha Womack (Ronnie). And Chris Parker, who used to play Spencer, is one of my best mates." We’ve had the glitz and glamour of ‘Made in Chelsea’ now we can expect a different taste of London life as new show ‘Made in Brixton’ is given the go-ahead. The show will be focused around a group of 20-somethings living in south London and promises to show a very different side of London living. The show promises a more realistic view of life away from the pampered world of TOWIE and MIC giving an accurate insight into the lives of young professionals living in London. TOWIE star Joey Essex has threatened to leave the show after demanding and being refused a better deal from show bosses. As one of the shows biggest stars Joey demanded enhanced benfits in order to compensate for the ‘pressure’ he is under. However the shows bosses held firm stating that all cast members would receive the same salary. But never fear following a passionate plea from fiancé Sam Faiers, Joey has been convinced to stay put. (Phew!)
26|
31st May - 14th June 2013
@RedbrickFilm
Editor's Choice
The Redbrick film editors choose their top three favourites
Becky McCarthy talks gangsters, sword-weilding assasins and memory loss
Goodfellas (1990)
Kill Bill (2003 &2004)
Memento (2000)
Goodfellas, directed by Martin Scorsese, is a film adaptation of the non-fiction book Wiseguys by Nicholas Pileggi. The 90‘s clas sic, starring Ray Liotta, Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci follows the life of Henry Hill and his accomplices as they attempt to climb up the hierarchy of their mob. Spanning over a period of three decades, the film traces Henry’s involvement in organised crime, starting with the connections he forms with the Lucchese family as a teenager. It follows his accession to the role of gangster and the impact this has upon his morality; forcing him to live a double life between mobster and family man. Arguably, with it’s clever scripting which creates scenes of almost unbearable tension, and killer soundtrack, which includes tracks by the Rolling Stones, Goodfellas can be titled as one of the best gangster films of all time.
Originally intended as a single release, but later divided into two volumes, Kill Bill can be viewed as one of Tarantino’s masterpieces. The film follows ‘The Bride’ a female assassin also known by the name ‘Black Mumba’ played by Uma Thurman. After waking up from a four-year coma which was the result of a beating from her fellow assassins ‘The Deadly Viper Squad’ led by the infamous Bill, ‘The Bride’ discovers that she has miscarried her unborn child. Seeking vengeance for her loss, she goes on a murdering rampage, attempting to carry out revenge on those involved in her misfortune. The film, which is a classic Tarantino blood-fest, consists of several layers including anime, Hong Kong martial art films, Japanese chanbara films and Italian spaghetti westerns is arguably packed full of homages to some of Tarantino’s major influences.
Alongside The Dark Knight Trilogy, Memento is arguably one of Christopher Nolan's strongest films. The thriller, which was adapted from Jonathan Nolan’s short story Memento Mori follows Leonard, a man who tries to discover the identity of the person who murdered his wife. However, this man-hunt is complicated by the fact that Leonard suffers from short-term memory loss, making it almost impossible for his to remember any clues he discovers about his target’s identity. The film is indebted to it’s scripting (also by Christopher Nolan) primarily due to it’s innovative retrograde structuring which complicates the film, mirroring the disjointed thought processes of its protagonist. Memento is comprised of numerous twists and turns; it is a prime example of how Nolan fails to patronise his audience, making them work throughout to form interpretations.
From Neo-Tokyo to seventies L.A., Tom Lofkin shares three of his favouite films
Boogie Nights (1997)
Akira (1988)
Highlander (1986)
Masterful writer director Paul Thomas Anderson gives us a glimpse into the lives of several individuals involved in the L.A. porn industry of the seventies with Boogie Nights. When nightclub dishwasher Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) is befriended by adult filmmaker Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), he finds himself swept up in a world of sex, money and wild partying. Changing his name to Dirk Diggler, the impressionable Adams becomes a legend in the world pornography, the film charting his glamourous rise to fame in the bell-bottomed seventies, and his tragic fall during the cocaine fuelled eighties. The film's fantastic cast of characters are brilliantly supported by an increadilbe script by the director, as well as stellar performances by the cast and captivating direction. Boogie Nights is a modern classic and undoubtably Paul Thomas Anderson's masterpiece.
A great starting point for anyone not familiar with the anime genre, Akira is a milestone in both visuals and storytelling. In the aftermath of World War Three, the film tells the story of Kaneda, the leader of a biker gang in Neo-Tokyo, circa 2019, and his best friend Tetsuo, who through an encounter with a scientifically augmented child, is given reality warping powers, and kidnapped by a shady government organisation. While Kaneda searches desperately to rescue his friend, Tetsuo finds himself experiencing bizarre visions of a mysterious being known only as Akira. Driven mad with his new found powers, Tetsuo decides to hunt down Akira, destroying anything that gets in his way. With a great cast of characters, a captivating narrative and visually stunning illustrations, Akira is a landmark in Japanese cinema.
A true icon of cheesy eighties cinema, Highlander charts the life of Connor Macleod (Christopher Lambert), a Scottish clansman who, after being wounded in battle in 1536, discovers he is immortal. Mentored by Ramírez (Sean Connery), a 2,437 year old warrior, he is trained in the art of swordplay for 'The Gathering,' a series of encounters where immortals will battle through the centuries until only one remains, in order to acheive 'The Prize.' Jump to 1985 and we find Connor living quietly in Manhattan, struggling to maintain a relationship with the woman he loves while also being one of the few immortals remaining, as he waits for an inevitable final battle with his arch nemesis, The Kurgan. Spanning almost six centuries and featuring an excellent rock soundtrack by Queen, Highlander is an epic tale of love, friendship and sword fights. Lots of sword fights.
www.redbrick.me/film | 27
TopThree Film editor Natasha Lavender unites time travel, dance numbers and drag in the list of her top three all-time favourites Back to the Future (1985) It's 1985, and Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is your average teenager, with embarrassing parents, a gorgeous girlfriend and ambitions to become a rock star. While assisting eccentric scientist Emmett 'Doc' Brown (Christopher Lloyd) with his latest invention, a time machine built from a modified DeLorean, Marty is accidentally sent back to 1955. He manages to track down the younger Doc, and the two plan a way to harness the 1.21 Gigawatts required to send Marty and the DeLorean safely back to the future. However, getting back to his own time becomes the least of Marty’s worries when he unwittingly attracts the attention of his then-teenaged mother Lorraine (Lea Thompson), thereby jeopardising his own existence. To make matters worse, his efforts to help his nerdy father George (Crispin Thompson) win the girl of his 'density' pitches Marty against school bully Biff (Thomas F. Wilson). Fox strikes the balance between hero and fool perfectly, and the farfetched plot makes for a fantastic blend of comedy and action. The eighties have come and gone, but Back to the Future has stood the test of time.
Moulin Rouge! (2001) Baz Luhrmann’s glitzy take on turn-of-the-century France sees tragically impoverished writer Christian (Ewan McGregor) fall for Satine (Nicole Kidman), the most popular courtesan in Paris’s famous nightclub, the Moulin Rouge. Unfortunately, Satine must seduce the wealthy and sinister Duke in order to secure the funds to transform the club into a theatre, and so the lovers are forced to hide their passionate affair. Matters are complicated further by Satine’s mysterious but terminal illness, which is hidden from her and Christian by club owner Harold Zidler (Jim Broadbent). Spectacularly over-the-top, Moulin Rouge! is a typically flamboyant offering from Luhrmann, complete with ambitious dance routines, lavish costumes, vibrant settings and an anachronistic soundtrack that adds flair to the period setting. Unashamedly fun, giddy and melodramatic, this film will sweep you off your feet, hand you a bottle of absinthe and drag you to the party before breaking your heart with its powerful ending.
Some Like it Hot (1959) Often cited as one of the greatest comedies of all time, Some Like it Hot takes a ludicrous plot and boldly runs with it. In 1920s Chicago, the jazz is hot, the booze is flowing and the city is controlled by gangsters. When musicians Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) witness a a mob massacre, they escape the killers and don skirts, wigs and bizarrely high voices to join an all-girl band bound for sunny and distant Florida. During the ride, they meet sweet but ditsy Sugar (Marilyn Monroe), a ukelele player with a drinking habit, soft spot for saxophonists and plans to fall in love with a multimillionaire. Cue a series of mistaken identities, cunning seductions and one dodgy British accent. The humour is sharp and self-aware rather than pure slapstick, and Curtis and Lemmon share a perfect chemistry as the bickering friends. Despite the mayhem she caused during production, Monroe gives an intelligent comic performance as Sugar, unfortunately cementing her reputation as a dumb blonde in the process. Smarter than many of the barf-out-loud comedies flooding modern cinema, Some Like it Hot remains a comic classic.
28 | 31st - 14th June 2013
@RedbrickSport
The Lions head to Australia with high hopes Ellie Jones Sport Correspondent
@EllieJones_Bham
The British Lions must be preparing for their tour of Australia with a reasonable amount of optimism. Their warm-up match against the Barbarians takes place in Hong Kong, before the tour starts in earnest on June 5th. The tourists will play all five of Australia’s Super 15 teams, as well as News South Wales-Queensland combined team in the run-up to the three Tests against the Wallabies, the first of which is on the 22nd of June. As the last domestic trophies were won last Saturday, fans and players now excitedly look forward to the coming tests Down Under, and head coach Warren Gatland will be relieved that several of his Lions squad came through those final games of the season unscathed. However, one player who won't be looking forward to Australia is Northampton Saints hooker Dylan Hartley. During Saturday’s match against Leicester, referee Wayne Barnes gave Hartley a red card after hearing him verbally abuse Barnes himself. Despite Hartley’s attempts at explaining himself, he was dismissed and as he walked off the pitch it was clear to everyone the consequences were dawning on him. Hartley has previous form when it comes to inappropriate behaviour on the pitch with offences of gouging, biting and punching. Although he was crowned Young Player of the Year back in 2007, ever since Hartley has been seen as somewhat of a liability amongst fans. Despite his questionable behaviour, Gatland and England coach Stewart Lancaster have both valued Hartley as a player. Over the Six Nations he featured mostly on the bench but when he did come on he gave the team some extra strength in the scrums. His 11 week ban, decided by a 3-man Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel, means Hartley will miss the tests in Australia and Irish rival Rory Best is being flown out in his place. The other controversy surrounding the pending tour has been the debate over the number 10, with Gatland only taking Jonny Sexton and Owen Farrell to don the shirt. Although both are good players and reliable kickers, if either are injured early on in the tests, the other is the only back up the Lions have. It could be argued Stuart Hogg may possibly be able to step up to the mark but is fielding an inexperienced fly half against Australia a risk worth taking? Despite Jonny Wilkinson turning down the offer from Gatland, it has been suggested the Lions team will try
again to persuade the English fly half to join them, due to his excellent season at Toulon. As it is still not fully decided how many number 10’s he will take, Gatland has a few days left in which to decide on arguably one of the most important positions. The Lions have lost the last three tours to each of the southern hemisphere giants, but their record in Australia is far better than in South Africa or New Zealand, so there is still hope. Looking at the Wallabies, one may comment on their lack of strength in the front three, and this could possibly be a key actor in changing the game for the Lions. A probable allWelsh front line of Adam Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Richard Hibbard gives a lot more optimism as all three have had outstanding seasons and are experienced in the scrum. This backed up by Dan Cole, Mako Vunipola and Cian
Healey adds more strength and depth to the teams forwards, and could quite possibly tire and defeat the Australians just in the scrum. Although the Aussie team sheet is not yet known, if history is to teach us anything it is the Wallabies always have a strong attacking game based on an adventurous back three. So, the Lions must make sure they are first to every breakdown and stifle the attacking line before they have a chance to run. When it comes to kicking out of their own half, the Lions have to be accurate and the chase faultless, or the Australians will make them pay. The Lions will look to the scrum as an area of dominance. Australian front rows have often been their weakness, and the Lions – with strength in depth in the props such as Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Matt Stevens, Cian Healey and the emerging Mako
Vunipola – will exploit any problems in the home pack. As the southern hemisphere Super 15 competition is drawing to a close, the Australian teams will either be fatigued or wellpracticed. Either way, the Aussies have never failed to make a competition fierce. The Lions must look to their previous record against the Wallabies for comfort. They do a lot better in Australia than touring in South Africa and New Zealand, though the Lions did lose on their last visit in 2001. It's still highly debated whether Gatland has chosen the right players to make up this year’s British and Irish Lions. Only time will tell. However the mixture of experienced and new players is well balanced and a solid pack and flair in the backs means there's still a lot of hope in the Lions camp.
www.redbrick.me/sports | 29
Champions Trophy preview Australia
With their main priority on the Ashes straight after the competition, Australia comes into this tournament as an outside shot. The feeling is that this squad is heavily reliant on a few big game players and lacks experience, especially in the bowling department. Having said that a few of these young bowlers show great promise; alongside English hate figure Mitchell Johnson comes left-arm seamer James Faulkner who recently finished second highest wicket taker at the IPL.
England
For England this tournament may be seen as a distraction from the Ashes, although the 50 over squad is quite different from the test team. The English team should be well balanced with the tried and tested bowling attack headed by James Anderson and Stuart Broad and a top order of Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell. There are always questions about Trott’s run rate, but England are not reliant on particular players; they boast a very strong squad.
The best eight cricket teams come together in England to compete in the 50 over format. Sport editor Felix Keith gives a run down of each side and tentatively offers some predictions. Sri Lanka
A power on the wane: the previously great batsmen of Kumar Sangakkara, Tilakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene have started to show signs of regression. On form they are three of the best run scorers in the world, but off form they scratch around for runs, struggling to rotate the strike. Sri Lanka’s chances of progression rely on these men performing. The bowling department does offer some threat however: the leg spin of Jeevan Mendis and the nasty yorker-bouncer combination of Lasith Malinga,
New Zealand
New Zealand’s shortcomings have been there for all to see in the recent two test series against England. A reasonable bowling attack lead by Tim Southee and Trent Boult has been let down by dramatic middle order batting collapses. World stars like Brendan McCullum and Ross Taylor will have to come to the fore. Even still they are ranked world number eight for a reason and will struggle against the stronger sides. Key players: Brendon McCullum and Daniel Vettori Prediction: Out at group stages without winning a game.
Key players: Shane Watson and Michael Clarke Prediction: Solid performance, knocked out in the Semi-final.
Key players: Jonathan Trott and James Anderson Prediction: Admirable effort, but beaten in the final.
India
Pakistan
South Africa
West Indies
Key players: Virat Kohli and Amit Mishra Prediction: Classic underperformance. Out in group stages.
Key players: Mohammed Hafeez and Saeed Ajmal Prediction: Make it through difficult group, but knocked out in semi-final.
Key players: AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn Prediction: Tournament winners.
Key players: Chris Gayle and Sunil Narine Prediction: Short and sweet - out in group stages.
Of all the sides India should be in the best form as everyone of their squad took part in the IPL. Many players were chosen on form from the T20 competition. As always India look very strong on paper, with classy batsmen and good bowlers. Their bowling will leak runs however, with Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav likely to lead the attack. If they utilise their spinners of Ravi Ashwin and Amit Mishra well they could be successful.
The dark horses of the competition: a mixture of talented, well established players and some young unheard-ofs. The young batsmen will need to establish partnerships with the elder statesmen of the team: Mohammed Hafeez and Misbah-ulHaq if they are to be successful. Pakistan will boost average scores to match winning scores if the lower order slogging of wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal pays off.
Key players: Mahela Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga Prediction: Knocked out in the group stages.
South Africa are extremely strong in every position, with competition for almost every place in the eleven. The batting line up provides a complete mixture: the orthodox in the shape of the number one batsman in the world Hashim Amla; the innovative from AB de Villiers and the powerful from IPL star David Miller. When combined with hostile bowling from Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, they look unstoppable.
Always capable of fireworks: be it in the form of everyone’s favourite batsman Chris Gayle or the engrossing spin of Sunil Narine. The West Indies have lit up the IPL, with many of the key overseas players coming from the Caribbean; Kieron Pollard smashed the winning runs in the final, Dwayne Bravo finished highest wicket taker and Darren Sammy performed well with bat and ball. A very good team, but unfortunately not good enough to progress.
30 | 31st May-14th June 2013
Sport View. The national obsession It is the end of the football season and millions are mourning. What are people to do with their weekends now they cannot consume the beautiful game every second of every day? Felix Keith Sport Editor
@Felixkeith
The all-encompassing, often engrossing behemoth of football has come to an end. Well at least until the 17th August when it all begins again. Football is an unrelenting constant in many people’s lives. You watch football live, on television, listen to it on the radio, watch clips on YouTube, read articles, ponder statistics, shout at Garth Crooks, tweet about football and play simulated football games. You occasionally take time out of this schedule to even play football for real. Even when you’re not doing these things you are reminded you should be betting on football. The Ladbrokes advert interrupts Chris Kamara (an exfootballer) in the shower to let him know that ‘FOOTBALL IS ON!’ He should not worry about washing. He should not ask questions. He should bet on the Portuguese third division. Comedy duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb’s spoof of Sky Sports’s football coverage highlights the never ending hyperbole that accompanies the sport: ‘constant, dizzying, 24 hour, endless football massively mattering to someone presumably’. I was made to question my addiction for a few minutes at least before getting back to masterminding Fleetwood’s meteoric rise through the divisions. It is indeed ridiculous, my obsession with 22 blokes kicking an inflatable sphere around a pitch for 90 minutes each week. But I am far from alone in my fanaticism for the beautiful game. Hundreds of thousands of people attend matches from Old Trafford to Princes Park every weekend. People all around the world follow Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern Munich; United even claim that 10% of the world’s population follow the Red Devils. Of South Korea’s estimated 50 million people, 30% are reportedly Manchester United supporters. Last week’s Champions League final, played between German clubs Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, was watched by over 100 million people. The event also marked the 150th anniversary of the FA. Football has gone from an English public school game to the world’s most popular pastime; from a kick around in the park to a global brand worth billions of pounds. The amount of money in football is well known and is continually reasserting itself. Just last week Manchester City and the New York Yankees combined to create a new MLS franchise called New York City Football Club.
The globalisation of football is unstoppable. America is the most recent example of a profitable market, but previously Southeast Asia was targeted.
Closer to home the growth has appeared in a different area. Media related to football has boomed in recent years. The spread has been miraculous.
At the start of the Premier League in 1992 there was limited media involvement. Final Score, a part of the BBC’s flagship show Grandstand, led the television coverage alongside the tradition write up in the Sunday papers. The advent of the internet changed all of that fairly rapidly. Now there is any number of ways to consume football – analysis on television often through enlightened ex-professionals, radio and online, endless reams of statistics and even extremely detailed simulated games. Never has there been such a wide range of knowledge relating to football. Every kick of the game is analysed to death in an attempt to gain an advantage over the opponent. Companies like Opta Statistics analyse every football match played across Europe to provide media outlets, broadcasting companies, betting websites and the ordinary football fan who wants to appear knowledgeable with information. In any game each player’s movements, distance run, passing, tackling, interceptions, shooting and dribbling is recorded. These statistics are analysed by clubs to try and find improvement and also come into consideration when thinking about buying new players. The level of detail is incredible and is only likely to increase over the coming years. For example, when West Ham brought winger Matt Jarvis last year from Wolves it was largely based on the statistic that he had put in the most crosses in the league. Alongside high level statistical analysis, pastimes like Fantasy football, Fifa and Football Manager have all contributed further to public interest in the sport. Now you can if you wish: select your own Premier League 11, play as Lionel Messi or know everything there is to know about obscure footballers like Eric Maxim ChoupoMoting (a footballer for Mainz 05 in Germany if you are interested). Through these games pointless statistics are learnt, attachments to League 2 footballers are formed and nonsense is spoken. Football is now, for better or worse, much more than just a game. Millions of people around the world watch, listen to, read about, argue about, fight about and bet on the beautiful game. This is only going to increase. In ten years time everyone will either be as knowledgeable as John Motson or sick to death of football. I know which I will be. It is going to be a long few months for many.
www.redbrick.me/sports | 31
Page 31 A quick word...
Tweet of the Week
Sport in pictures @StuartBroad8 Champions League Final Arjen Robben Having failed in his two previous European finals, Arjen Robben finally shredded his 'loser' tag scoring the winner for Bayern Munich in last Saturday's Champions League Final. This hopefully should put the memories of that missed penalty against Chelsea in the previous final
Graeme Swann England's star spinner marked his return to form this week after a turbulent winter with injuries with a 10 wicket haul against New Zealand. The first English spinner to take 10 wickets at Headingly since Derek Underwood in 1972, his performance undelines his importance to England in their Ashes defence.
'Captain Cook's superb knock was thoroughly overshadowed by his wife's chocolate brownies. A work of art #tremendous'
Weekend Wager
7/2 Champions League
1. Which team won the last Champions Trophy? Champions League
4. Which horse won this year's Grand National?
1. Australia 2.Green Bay Packers 3Nick Faldo 4.Auroras Encore5. Aldershot
Completed crosswords to be submitted to the Redbrick office, located in the Guild basement Across
Please complete this form before you hand in your completed crossword to the Redbrick office.
Josh Holder & James Kinsey Conscripted Crossword Editors
Down 1. Point in time at which something starts (9)
Name:
3. Popular toy consisting of a length of string tied at one end to a flat spool (4)
2. Singer-songwriter, real name Elizabeth Woolridge Grant (10)
Email Address:
4. Person without courage (6)
Phone Number:
7. Arrangement or match (7)
Scribble box
9. Expression of praise or admiration (10)
...and Villains Dylan Hartley The England and Northampton hooker finds himself missing out on the Lions tour due to his own stupidity. He was sent off by referee Wayne Barnes on Saturday for swearing at him and has since recieved a 11 week ban. Sergio Perez The Mexican Mercedes driver was at fault several times during the Monaco Grand Prix on the weekend. He crashed in Kimi Raikkonen, who afterwards said Perez should be 'punched in the face' for his actions.
Interested in being part of Redbrick Sport? Get in touch: sports@redbrick.me @redbricksports Redbrick Sport
1. The name of the university's new music building (7)
5. Hold affectionately (7)
Both clubs will need investment but after one game the fortunes have changed for the two clubs. One is perceived to have over-achieved and the other the complete opposite.
Crystal Palace are back in the Premier League after an eight year wait.
5. Which team finished bottom of the Football League?
This week's prize is an exclusive candlelit dinner with Redbrick's esteemed deputy editor, Charley Ross
The result leaves a complete contrast between the two clubs. Palace now have to think about preparing a squad strong enough to stay in the Premier League next season. Whereas Watford are left with a squad of youngsters and loanees.
The playoffs still offer some of the most nail biting entertainment in sport. The stakes are just about as high as they can get.
3. Who was the last Englishman to win a gold major?
The Redbrick Crossword
The game went into extra time before Palace were awarded a penalty. 39-yearold veteran striker Kevin Phillips stepped up and smashed the ball into the top corner. The result itself is not disputed. Crystal Palace were much the better side throughout and the penalty was as stonewall as they come.
Redbrick Sport Quiz
2. Which NFL team play their home games at Lambeau Field?
The Championship playoff final is estimated to be worth ÂŁ120 million. The whole season boils down to 90 minutes of football. On Saturday delight for Crystal Palace was set against dispair a background of dispair for Watford.
PGA Championship
The ICC Champions Trophy begins on the 6th June and arguably any team has a shot at winning the tournament. However we're backing the all round strength of South Africa to win. The combination of their pace attack and batting line up looks unbeatable.
Playoff final
6. Single handedly invented Apple II computer (7) 8. Inarticulate sound made in despair (5) 12. Tony Stark's alter ego (7)
10. Large dark antelope (3)
14. A mythical hominid, reputed to live in the Australian wilderness (5)
11. Rapper, born in Brookylyn (3)
16. First name of the lead guitarist of Cream (4)
15. A wealthy man of promiscuous habits (4)
17. British band known for hit single 'How Long?' (3)
1`````2~~~=~~ `~~~~~`~q```w `~~~6~`~~~`~` `~~4`````~`~` `~~~`~`~~~`~` -``~`~5`````` `~~~`~`~~~`~~ `~~7`````8~~~ 0``~`~`~~e``r ~~~~~~3```~~` ~t~~~~~~~`~~` ~9`````````~` ~`~~~~~~~~~~~
32 |31st May - 14th June 2013
Lions tour preview Ellie Jones previews the British Lions tour to Australia and assesses their chance of success.
p28
www.redbrick.me/sport
The national obsession Felix Keith looks at the nation's obsession with football and the growth of the beautiful game.
RedbrickSport
p30
Hockey teams axed for 'bringing University into disrepute'
Will Siddons
Tim Pearson Sport Editor
The University of Birmingham hockey club have agreed sanctions with UB Sport and Vice President of Sport James Hughes, after a year of off the field problems. Despite being one of the most successful clubs at the University, winning a BUCS gold and 2 BUCS silver in March, they have agreed to, amongst other things, having two of the teams axed from the club. A two-year probation period began on 12th November 2012, following a letter sent in by a parent to the Vice Chancellor that cited ‘initiation-style activities’ taking place. Before the letter was received, members of the club were found to have attended training ‘under the influence of alcohol’ which led to the probation period being agreed. Despite the warnings given to the club, there have been further reports of misbehaviour since the period of probation began. Four specific incidents have been reported to UB sport which were:
•
Club members jumping into the Munrow Pool under the influence of alcohol. •
Club members drinking to excess and vomiting within the patio area of Raising The Bar and posting the subsequent footage on to Facebook. •
Damage to three coaches on the return from BUCS Finals in Leeds •
Reports of poor conduct from competitors and organisers of the Bournemouth Hockey Festival In a letter written to the Hockey Club by Chris Anthony, the Club Development Manager and James Hughes, Vice President of Sport, the club’s punishment was outlined following a meeting between senior members of the hockey club and UB Sport on 25th April. The letter states that these incidents have ‘seriously brought the University’s reputation into disrepute, not once but several times this year and clearly break the probationary period placed on the club.’ The recommendations then made by the club to prevent incidents like these happening again were said to ‘have fallen below what would have been
expected with regard to sanctions relating to the incidents that have already taken place and clearly broken the probation period.’ ‘These sanctions portray the seriousness with which UB Sport regard the lack of respect club members have shown for their club, UB Sport and the University.’ The sanctions in place for the hockey club for the next year are as follows: •
Ensure that all new committee members attend the committee training sessions on the 10-11 June. •
All members are to be banned from Guild Sports Nights until Christmas, to be reviewed in December by the VPS and UB Sport to decide whether the club can attend the events from January. •
Re-writing the hockey club social policy. This should include the suggested ‘one strike and you’re out’ policy and should be reviewed by UB Sport before being distributed to members in the first term of 201314. •
Implement a community service program. This will delivered in the
2013-14 academic year. •
The 24 members of the club who were to attend Sports Ball 2013 agree to withdraw their attendance at the event. Members are to contact James Hughes to discuss the refund procedure. •
A removal of men’s and women’s 5th teams with the 4th teams remaining open teams •
A suspended ban from Sports Ball and Sports Awards 2014 for non-first year students. When Redbrick Sport spoke to James Hughes about the ban he said that ‘It was with great regret that this decision was taken. Nevertheless, I was left with very little to sit and defend the hockey club. The disciplinary record of the hockey club this year has been poor.’ He added: ‘It was of particular regret that the Hockey Club will not be attending Sports Ball 2013. I believe all students representing the University of Birmingham via sport need to set a good behavioural example.’